Gai Waterhouse reaffirmed her opinion of Northern Meteor when she declared him the best three-year-old colt in Australia after an action-packed Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington."He is certainly the best three-year-old colt in the land," Waterhouse said.Northern Meteor led all the way to beat previously unbeaten Sydney colt Fist Of Fury by a half-length with All American a length away third.Waterhouse said her only regret was that Wilander and Tindal were unable to take their place in

Gai Waterhouse reaffirmed her opinion of Northern Meteor when she declared him the best three-year-old colt in Australia after an action-packed Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.

"He is certainly the best three-year-old colt in the land," Waterhouse said.

Northern Meteor led all the way to beat previously unbeaten Sydney colt Fist Of Fury by a half-length with All American a length away third.

Waterhouse said her only regret was that Wilander and Tindal were unable to take their place in the field after mishaps at the barrier.

"If they had been there we would have said it was a more even contest," Waterhouse said.

Wilander was withdrawn after he broke through the barriers before the start while Tindal hit his head when being backed out of the gates.

The waywardness of Impressive Eagle added to the drama of the race when she refused to go straight and troubled runners around her, but it didn't impede Northern Meteor who Waterhouse hopes to take to England next year.

Nash Rawiller, standing in for suspended jockey Blake Shinn, dictated the race when he shot the Encosta De Lago colt to the grandstand rail.

Waterhouse's only concern was how long Rawiller was going to take before he gave him full rein.

"I was saying up in the stand 'Come on Nash, click him up'," Waterhouse said.

"I thought' When are you going to start to move', but when he moved he was quite devastating."

Rawiller said the delay at the start of the race didn't affect Northern Meteor.

"He's an outstanding horse," Rawiller said.

"Very special".

He said the late scratchings clarified his race tactics as it allowed him to have his own way in the lead.

"When the main speed came out of the race I thought they would follow me (to the grandstand rail) and it worked out well," Rawiller said.

"About 400 metres out he lost his way for a stride but picked up good when I asked him.

"He is an extremely promising horse with scope for further improvement."

Kerrin McEvoy told trainer Lee Freedman that Wilander heard a bang in the crowd and thought the gates had opened.

"He hit the gate at 100 miles per hour and took it straight off its hinges," Freedman said.

Wilander and Tindal appeared to escape serious harm from their ordeals.

Apprentice Nicholas Hall said Tindal sustained a cut above his left eye.

Dan Nikolic said fifth-placed Impressive Eagle gave him a horror ride.

"She overraced badly with the blinkers on," Nikolic said.