LOGAN RACING WEEKEND RACING PREVIEW

Logan Racing Weekend Preview

The stable is having its busiest weekend yet since starting up in Singapore. Donna has five runners engaged across the two days of racing at Kranji. We see the consistent galloper COMMAND ROYALE down to run at Kranji on Friday night. As well as the return to racing of the stables first Singaporean winner, GREEN STAR, on Sunday night. Donna and Graeme are extremely pleased with the way things are shaping up in Singapore and are very excited to get more and more horses to the races.

Chris and Michelle have three runners in on Saturday at Te Rapa. We see some runners from the stable that were unlucky not to finish closer than they did at their last starts, such as REAL FUN. 

This week also saw an important birthday for the team as all our equine compatriots turned another year older. A very exciting time of the year as we celebrate the coming of age of a new crop of horses. A truly special day as we take the time to honour the horses and reflect on another successful season that saw many changes for the Logan Racing team. We said goodbye to 2017/18 with a combined total of 47 New Zealand winners and just shy of $1.2 million in prizemoney. A huge effort by all involved as the changes have seen many horses shift around and the New Zealand stable face a re-building period, as well as a change in training partnership. At this time we would like to thank all of our extremely loyal owners for all of the continued support as well as our fantastic team of staff both in New Zealand and Singapore. With one eye on the past we are very proud of what has been achieved, and with the other on the future we are extremely excited for what is to come in both jurisdictions and we wish everyone the very best of luck for the new 2018/19 racing season.

Friday 3 August - Kranji

R2 – No. 7 GROUND ATTACK – Alysha Collett

The 4YO son of Wanted is a rather new addition to the stable, owned by the powerful Titanium Racing stable, GROUND ATTACK has had just two raceday appearances for a second on debut and a slightly disappointing sixth when last presented to the races. He is a horse that has always shown plenty of ability in his trials and races so far. GROUND ATTACK will start in the Open Maiden ($20,000) over 1000m on the Polytrack. His second on debut (18 May) was over the 1000m trip of Fridays assignment, so this should hold no fears for him. His performance on debut was very impressive as he drew wide and stayed their throughout only to be pushed further out on the corner, where he rattled home only to go down 0.3L. GROUND ATTACK hasn’t come up with an ideal barrier, drawing gate eight of 14 for kiwi rider, Alysha Collett, he will carry 57.5KG. Donna has a high opinion of GROUND ATTACK and she is looking forward to seeing him develop further into a lovely horse. His work has been excellent recently, Donna is hoping he can make his presence felt, but is wary that it is a strong field of maiden gallopers.

GROUND ATTACK 2^nd on debut (18 May): https://bit.ly/2n3XLhh

R4 – No. 1 COMMAND ROYALE – WS Chan

The extremely consistent 4YO Court Command gelding is looking to have his fourth start since arriving in Singapore in the Class 3 1000m ($80,000) on the Polytrack. Trained by Donna and Chris in New Zealand to win 3 and have 3 minor placings from 9 starts. He was part of the first shipment to arrive for the stable, COMMAND ROYALE went a huge run first up, only to be run down just short of the post (27 April) to finish 4^th. He was a touch disappointing at his second outing on the 26^thMay, however, the team has put that down to the track conditions that night as it was a very wet Kranji surface. At his last outing (22 June) he was back to his true self where he again only went down late by a small margin to finish 4^th. Having a longer gap between runs suits COMMAND ROYALE and the five week gap since his last run will be perfect, unfortunately, he has come up with his fourth wide gate in four starts, drawing eleven of 13 on Friday night. Our stable apprentice WS Chan is engaged to ride, he will only carry 54KG with the apprentice claim (3KG). The horse has been doing extremely well since his last race and Donna and Graeme feel they have him right on song for this race.

COMMAND ROYALE 4^th last start (22 June): https://bit.ly/2KhNebo

Saturday 4 August - Te Rapa 

R1 – No. 5 BEAUFIGHTER – Jasmine Fawcett

BEAUFIGHTER, a 5YO Mastercraftsman gelding out of a mare trained by the stable to place in an Auckland Cup (Tin Goose) will take his place in the Distinction Hamilton Hotel Rating 82 2100m ($30,000) at Te Rapa on Saturday. He is another ever-so-consistent performer who has only finished further back than fifth on three occasions from 21 outings. Drawn poorly in barrier five of 6, he will be aided by the apprentice claim (2KG) and only have to carry 52KG on Saturday. He is having his third start at 2100m this campaign, a trip that suits him. He has been very impressive at his last two starts (30 June & 14 July) where he ran on strongly for a third and a fourth last time out in open company. BEAUFIGHTER will appreciate the light weight as he is only a small horse and the stable was very pleased with the way he finished off last start. He is a horse that is very versatile, so the track conditions come Saturday should hold no real concern for a horse that doesn’t know how to give up. Chris and Michelle are confident that he can put in another consistent performance and with the benefit of more racing expect him to be back in the winner’s circle in the near future.

BEAUFIGHTER 4^th last start (14 July):https://bit.ly/2KjFkxX

R4 – No. 12 LOS ANGELES – Trudy Thornton

The 4YO daughter of Rock ‘N’ Pop will start in the Foxbridge Plate Race Day 18^thAugust Maiden 1600m ($10,000). She is a mare that has shown a lot of promise to date, so much so that she was entered in the Group 2 Royal Stakes back on New Year’s Day. However, she has been a touch disappointing in what she has shown on raceday of late. Two starts ago at Ruakaka (30 June) we were confident of a bold showing from LOS ANGELES, where she could only manage sixth, and then last time out (11 July) she was rather ineffective on the heavy 11 surface and finished eight. Her resuming run at Ruakaka back on the 16^thMay was a satisfying effort over the 1200m a trip that is short of her best. With a nice performance at the trials between runs (19 June) and up to the 1600m on Saturday, Chris is hopeful she can put her best foot forward and show some of the ability she has. Trudy Thornton will be aboard for Saturday’s assignment where they will jump from gate one, carrying 56.5KG.

LOS ANGELES 1200m trial (19 June): https://bit.ly/2KAHhdX

R5 – No. 13 REAL FUN – Samantha Collett

REAL FUN takes her place in the Pathways Immigration services rating 72 1600m ($25,000) off the back of a solid first up 2^ndat Ruakaka (30 June), where she went down by the smallest of margins and a pleasing last start 5^th, again at Ruakaka. Her fresh up run at Ruakaka over 1200m (16 May) was only fair, however, she did have a wide barrier and she is a horse that has appreciated the step up to 1600m. With her best runs being at the longer trip and Samantha Collett aboard, at 54KG, she is expected to go a very similar race to her 2^ndat Ruakaka two starts ago. Jumping from gate seven Chris and Michelle are hopeful she can put her hand up again, in what has come up a very nice field.

REAL FUN 2^nd two starts ago (30 June): https://bit.ly/2Lhw52Y

Sunday 5 August - Kranji

R2 – No. 12 SHAHBAA – CC Wong

SHAHBAA is a Road to Rock gelding that has had just the one raceday appearance for the stable. He has only had two raceday starts, the first of which was in Malaysia. He has trialled impressively since joining the stable (21 June). His Singaporean debut (15 July) was somewhat disappointing on face value, however, the 1200m on the short course was always going to be a challenge for him. Sundays race is an Open maiden over 1400m on the turf long course ($20,000). The rise in trip and onto the long course looks to be a far better assignment for him. Donna and Graeme feel that he will be a horse that will mature into a quality horse, but as his breeding suggests, time will be his best friend. The stable is however, more confident that he can give them a shake in this. Owned by the powerful Al-Arabiya stable, he is a lovely type of horse that will certainly win races in Singapore. He has been given gate four of 15 with last season’s champion apprentice CC Wong aboard. The claim (1KG) will see him carry 56.5KG. He is a definite place chance in this.

SHAHBAA trial win (21 June): https://bit.ly/2zGTPfA

R4 – No. 1 GREEN STAR – Craig Grylls

The next runner for the day runs in the Novice 1200m ($85,000) on the turf long course. The lightly raced Iffraaj 5YO made his debut in New Zealand for Donna’s daughter Samantha, he had two promising starts in New Zealand. He was among the first shipment of Logan Racing runners to arrive in Singapore and, gave Donna her very first training success in Singapore at only her 3^rdstarter (27 April). GREEN STAR will jump from barrier ten of 10, carrying 58KG, where the Group 1 winning jockey and expat New Zealander, Craig Grylls takes the reigns. GREEN STAR is a very promising type of horse that Donna expects to go a bold race, he has had a small let up since his slightly disappointing last start fifth (26 May). GREEN STAR has progressed very promisingly in this time, and he is very capable of repeating his debut performance. Having only the 4 starts to date, his best racing is still ahead of him. He is a horse that is very capable of going through the grades in Singapore. The more racing, he does, the better he will be as he will only mature further into the quality horse we know he is.

GREEN STAR 1^st on debut (27 April): https://bit.ly/2vuSsuT

R6 – No. 7 GOOD CATCH – WS Chan

GOOD CATCH is a talented son of Falkirk who lines up in the Class 4 premier ($60,000) 1000m on the Polytrack. He will be having just his second run for the stable, he came to us with a good record already established, and he furthered that with a brave second (13 July) at his latest outing. Having only finished outside the first four once from his eight starts to date, five of those being second placings. GOOD CATCH has a top Polytrack record where he will be guided by stable apprentice WS Chan from barrier ten of 12, with the apprentice claim (3KG) he will only have to carry 53KG. Last start GOOD CATCH showed plenty of gate speed to be able to lead relatively easily from a wide gate, something he may need come Sunday from the gate. Donna is looking forward to him returning to the races as he has shown lots and was so narrowly defeated last start, she feels he should be able to keep his good record intact and is very hopeful of a breakthrough win for the combination of the stable and WS Chan.

GOOD CATCH 2^nd last start (13 July): https://bit.ly/2LSjlTQ