Matt Laurie's boom colt, Coleman (+110), has proven his dominant debut victory in the Listed Debutant Stakes was no fluke as he powered home over the top of his rivals to take out the Group 3 Chairman's Stakes at Caulfield.
Counteroffensive (+850) set a solid tempo out in front and after he pinched a couple of lengths on the race favourite and eventual winner, it looked as though he would take some running down with 300m to go.
However, once Ben Melham gave the son of Pierata a crack with the whip and allowed him to go through his gears, he picked up the leader and powered away in the final 150m.
The second favourite Eneeza (+140) from the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman yard settled near the rear and made good ground in the home straight to run into second place but was no match for the super impressive winner.
Laurie confirmed post-race that Coleman would go straight into the Blue Diamond Stakes next start after his dominant win.
Matt Laurie was on track to witness Coleman's performance, and he spoke post-race.
“Watching him walk around today, he was very cruisy, but you could just tell he was on the ball,” Laurie said.
“That was a really good win.
“When he picked it up he was super powerful through the line.
“(He) is a really impressive colt, very exciting few weeks ahead.
“He's going to learn a lot from today too.
“I think we can just train him, and three weeks (until the Blue Diamond) is good for him.”
Ben Melham has picked up an early riding double after winning on Icelandic Miss in the previous race and he spoke after the win of Coleman.
“He's got very good ability, but he is just a competitive horse,” Melham said of Coleman.
“Matty (Laurie) has managed him really well and I like the fact that he has got three weeks into the Blue Diamond.
“Really nice colt, very good colt I think, still putting it all together but it'll be scary when he does.
“I was momentarily worried, but he is a very good horse our bloke and he just expanded underneath me and picked him up and won with ease in the end.”
Coleman is now the +300 favourite in Blue Diamond Stakes futures markets with top horse betting sites.