Michael Coleman was warm in his praise of unbeaten 2-year-old Nightlign after they effortlessly won the $175,000 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes at Awapuni yesterday.
The Matamata-based jockey has been impressed with the rapid improvement shown by the colt in three race starts.
"This colt has a great temperamentand he's impressed me every time I've ridden him."
Nightlign was in the first six most of the way and powered to the front halfway down the straight to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Fleur De'Here. A further 1 1/2 lengths away third was Alamosa.
"I love winning these Group One races and it's the first time I have won this race. It was quite a decisive win as he showed a good turn of foot when I asked him to sprint in the home stretch. I'm certain he'll improve with more maturity and he'll be a nice ride in those Guineas races early next season," said Coleman.
Nightlign's Te Awamutu trainer Keith Hawtin said he had no regrets at selling the colt after a debut victory at Te Rapa on February 28.
Hawtin remains the trainer of Nightlign in partnership with son Brendon and the Align colt was bred by Hawtin's wife Lyn who owned 75 per cent of the 2-year-old.
Following that Te Rapa win Lyn Hawtin and Margaret McIness, who owned the other 25 per cent, accepted an offer of $150,000 from Hong Kong. Nightlign won his next start for new owner Mr C H Lo.
Hawtin worked for and trained in partnership with transtasman trainer Graeme Rogerson for 25 years. He went his own way two years ago and took in his son Brendon as a training partner this season.
