Settling beautifully for regular rider Wayne Hokai, the Bill Wilde trained three-year-old was shuffled back before the turn - hopelessly held up for a run straightening.

Copping a couple of bumps whilst trying to get out, Hissing Sid did a great job to maintain his momentum and when a gap open he surged through it - his half length victory a soft one, his ears pricked.

An up-and-comer who burst onto the scene when bolting in with his maiden at Warrnambool in late April, Hissing Sid has already won three of seven - with the best still to come.

"He won like a good stayer," Wilde enthused, pointing out that he had been looking forward to stepping Hissing Sid up to the 2000m.

"We have been waiting for this trip," he continued - adding that the gelding is "just getting better and better."

Praise all round for Hissing Sid, Sky Channel's Ron Dufficy labelling him "a serious racehorse" whilst former jockey Alf Matthews was just as impressed - "he is a Gr.1 horse in the making - very promising indeed."

Excited about Hissing Sid's prospects is Lynden Park Stallions' Julie Nairn who had the foresight not only to shuttle the promising galloper's sire Golden Snake to Victoria - but to arrange for his outright purchase last
year.

"Hissing Sid has always shown terrific ability," she said, " and like his sire he is improving with racing - we look forward to cheering him on in bigger and better races!"

Due to head to the paddock with either a late spring or an autumn campaign on the agenda, Hissing Sid is part of a great recent run for Golden Snake. Another nice type in Golden Image resumed at Ballarat last Thursday - at only his third outing winning over 1000m with a fair bit in hand.

He was bred and is raced by Ken King who describes the bay as "a promising youngster who is still very green."

"Once he learns what it is all about he should go on and win plenty more races."

A double for King and Golden Snake, on Sunday in Tasmania his talented mare Lady Snake racing away to a 3.8 length victory over 1420m at Hobart.

Back to Saturday where Golden Snake was also well represented by the exciting two-year-old Extremely Hissed. Having his first run since March, he settled well back in the 1200m contest and really caught the eye storming home late for an excellent third.

Meanwhile in Darwin, Golden Snake had two runners in the NT Derby - Seymour Snake finishing third and Actin Snakey fourth.

A truly outstanding galloper who won no less than four Gr.1 races, Golden Snake lays claim to being Victoria's best bred stallion. A son of Danzig and the Gr.1 mare Dubian, he is a half brother to the Champion Sayyedati from the prolific Lady Juror family.

Making his Bombora Downs debut this spring, he is already proving popular - and little wonder, breeders appreciating Golden Snake's ability to sire strong, tough, well conformed stock who do not take long to find form - and who just keep improving with racing.

Already the sire of 26 Australian bred winners including the stakes performers Antidotes, Wayne's Gold and Paloma Bella (who resumed with an eye-catching fourth at Geelong recently), Golden Snake is a stallion on the up. He has also fared well in Europe - well represented by the smart Group winner Cuba Candy.

Standing this season at $6,600 with extended payment terms available on request, the handsome Golden Snake can be viewed at: www.lyndenparkstud.com.au

PICS - Fiona Tomlin.