NIGHTLINE WINS IN A BOILOVER

By Graham Potter | Saturday, December 6, 2025

The Tony and Maddysen Sears trained Nightline made it two wins from only four starts when she took out the City To Surf Three-Year-old contest over 1600m at Doomben on December 6.

The daughter of Redwood had shown good potential from her very first start where she finished second to the smart Bruckheimer over 1200m. Bruckheimer would go on to wins his next two starts and so complete a hat trick of wins.

Nightline was a winner herself in her second start, shedding her Maiden ticket over 1400m. She then marked time briefly with a sixth-place finish in her third start, but that did not dent the stable confidence in her ability and the Sears camp were happy to give her a chance in town, to head for Doomben … and step the distance test up to 1600m.

Not that everybody fancied Nightline’s chances with her jumping at a starting price of $41 … although she had shortened from $51 indicating there had been a nibble from some shrewd punters.

Nightline again had a new rider here … her fourth different jockey in four starts … and the experience, judgement of pace and strength in the saddle of Mark Du Plessis was to be an important factor in Nightline’s second success.

Jumping from barrier number nine needed a bit of managing. Du Plessis was unfazed, happy to take Nightline back to eighth spot early … then seventh spot going down the back stretch, allowing Nightline to find her feet in her own time, but it was time to go in the sweep to the home turn.

Still caught wide, Du Plessis urged Nightline forward and he had a willing partner in the Sears trained runner who made up ground quickly, albeit now five wide, to straighten in the leading line, balancing up right alongside the $2.50 favourite John Dory, a Chris Waller trained runner ridden by Tommy Berry.

John Dory gave a kick to hold the initial advantage early in the home straight, but Nightline wasn’t going away and it became a race in two inside the final 200m with Nightline firstly drawing alongside the main fancy, then matching strides with John Dory in hard-fought stride-for-stride battle over the final 150m, before easing to the front in the final couple of strides.

It was a good tough win, particularly for a lightly raced horse still learning her trade. Her ability and her determination worked well in combination to carry the day.

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