Trainer Dwight Chen posted two winners at muddy Caymanas Park yesterday, including 2-1 chance FIRST TIME LUCKY in the Master Blaster Trophy co-feature race over the straight five course.

But more significant to the trainer was the victory of Derby aspirant POSEIDON (Dane Nelson up) in the seventh race for native and imported three-year-olds over 1820 metres.

Never worse than third in the underfoot conditions caused by mid-afternoon showers, POSEIDON, the 1-4 favourite, disposed of long-time leader REGGAE ROCK leaving the half mile and powered home five lengths clear of COUGWAY, who was never far off the pace in a field of nine.

Although POSEIDON's victory was expected following his close third to BRUCEONTHELOOSE and THE GUMMER in the April 4 2000 Guineas over 1600 metres, Chen said he had some concern when the going changed to sloppy.

"I would rather to have assessed his performance on a normal surface, but he did win comfortably and I am happy for that," said the trainer.

"He showed me today that he can handle a wet surface and this is a good sign. He'll next run in the Governor's Cup (Lotto Classic) in three weeks' time and then it's on to the Derby in mid-June.

"Having made his debut on March 4, I would have preferred a bit more time to fine-tune him for the Governor's Cup ... to get the greenness out of him. But he's a nice colt with lots of potential and I have no doubt he'll get a distance of ground," added Chen, who just missed a triple when his American-bred colt MR. ZIP was narrowly beaten by the rank outsider JOHNNY APPLESEED in the first race over 1100 metres.

First two-year-old race

POSEIDON is a lightly raced chestnut colt by Law Of The Sea out of the 1994 1000 Guineas winner Melissa's Song, owned by Hamark Farms and bred by Chen.

Meanwhile, FIRST TIME LUCKY, ridden by in-form Richie Mitchell, chased and successfully challenged long-time leader MISS EILEEN (27-1) approaching the distance to win the Master Blaster Trophy by two lengths in the silks of Ripon Racing Stables.

Earlier on the 10-race programme, 4-5 favourite REGAL SENSATION made all under Shane Ellis to win the season's first two-year-old race for the Starters' Trophy over 400 metres straight by 1 1/4 lengths from the subsequently disqualified POSSE TRAIN in a field of five. He was saddled by Anthony Nunes.

Reigning 'Horse of the Year' ALSAFRA also got into the act by going wire to wire under title-chasing jockey Dane Nelson in the ninth race (open allowance) over 1600 metres. And the lightly raced three-year-old colt, JAYLEN, romped the maiden special race over 2000 metres to give second season trainer Dalton Sirjue his first winner.

In August of last year, Sirjue, a former assistant trainer to Gary Subratie, saw his first winner, MELINDAGATA, suffering disqualification, but his agonising wait has finally ended.