Australasia's champion two-year-old of the 1998-99 season, Align, has been bought for stud duties next spring by New Zealand's Highview Stud.
Studmaster Brent Gillovic announced the purchase of Align yesterday for an undisclosed six-figure sum.
Gillovic confirmed the son of Night Shift will still have four more raceday starts in Australia this autumn, culminating in a tilt at the $A2.5 million Doncaster Handicap at Randwick on April 14.
Another autumn target for Align will be the group one STC George Ryder Stakes (1600m) at Rosehill on March 31.
Now a four-year-old and winner of more than $NZ1.3 million in prizemoney, Align is set to resume racing in either the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on January 26 or the Satellite Stakes at Canterbury on February 11.
He will stand his first season at Highview Stud, near Hamilton, later this year alongside Senor Pete and Kashani.
Align's outstanding two-year-old record resulted in him being rated the champion two-year-old on the Australian Classifications ahead of Redoubte's Choice, Testa Rossa and Shogun Lodge.
Align's female pedigree will be familiar to New Zealand breeders. His grand-dam is Eastern Bay who was the winner of seven races including the group two Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham and was runner-up in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
Align's dam is the Red Anchor mare, Super Trend, who scored two wins and was third in the group one South Australian Oaks.
- NZPA
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