Te Awamutu trainer Keith Hawtin is delighted with the progress of talented three-year-old Double Impact.

The Oaks Stud-owned son of Darci Brahma was an impressive maiden winner in August before featuring heavily in the stipendary stewards reports at his next two outings, when third at Hawke’s Bay before a sixth placing in the Gr.2 James And Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m).

The gelding returned from a break when a pleasing second to Shezathinka at the Te Aroha trials on Monday and is poised to make an impact through the Summer and Autumn carnivals.

“He trialled on Monday and did exactly what we wanted,” Hawtin said.

“We just wanted him to cruise along and run to the line under his own steam, which he did. He pulled up exceptionally well. He is in line to run on Boxing Day in the three-year-old race, the Uncle Remus (Listed, 1400m).

“He was well behaved at the trials. He has just been a big kid but he is slowly but surely getting there.

“Troy Harris (jockey) said the trial will bring him on nicely. He was true and straight up the straight. I think you will find he will just get better and better and I think there is a lot of improvement in him.

“I think the older he gets, the better he gets but he just has that natural ability.”

Double Impact holds nominations for both the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham on January 11 and the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 29.

“We think with the way he races, he relaxes and doesn’t pull, and when he puts it all together we think he might get a mile and a half,” Hawtin said.

“It is all ahead of him and it is just a case of him doing it all right.”

-NZ Racing Desk