DONNA LOGAN RACING STABLES CHALK UP 2 MORE WINNERS , MARCH 27TH.

Makkem Lad and Golden Flame win on the Turf for Donna Logan Racing Stables

This week was very succesful with a nice third from Dragon Ryker for Team Cheval ridden by Yusoff. A brilliant ride by John Powell to win with Golden Flame for Golden Billion Stable and another 10 out of 10 ride by our Apprentice , Yusoff, to win with Makkem Lad for Eden Park Stud Racing and Donna Logan.

Below are stories written by Mike Lee on the Singapore Turf Club website :

'Mr Malek dead-heat 101': The perfect blueprint to Makkem Lad's new victory

MAKKEM LADAPP F YUSOFFD LOGAN

Michael Lee, 27/03/2021

Video replays of past wins can be a handy educational tool as apprentice jockey Yusoff Fadzli gladly found out on Saturday.

The Malaysian rider and his master Donna Logan went over Makkem Lad’s dead-heat with Mr Malek more than once.

The conditions of that race from one year ago (and one week over - March 20, 2020) were almost a carbon copy of each other - Class 3 race over 1200m on the Long Course, even the handicap of 55.5kgs tallied.

 
Makkem Lad (Yusoff Fadzli) makes all to take out the Class 3 race on Saturday.

Only the field was different (none of the runners in that race was back in the line-up to Saturday’s $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m) – as well as the one holding the reins.

After trying to lead all of the way under Vlad Duric’s guidance, Makkem Lad looked beat when top sprinter Mr Malek came upsides inside the last furlong, but under a masterful and typically power-packed ride from the Kranji ace, the son of Kuroshio ran out of his skin to share the spoils.

With all due respect to Yusoff, he might not have quite reached the same calibre as the four-time Singapore champion jockey, but what he does have in spades is a will to listen, learn and apply his boss’s instructions to the letter.

No doubt, barrier two made his life easier as the fleet-footed Makkem Lad easily landed into the driving seat when the gates opened, but that was only half the battle won.

Yusoff then had to conserve as much energy as possible before implementing what Logan had harped on about all week - to pinch a break at the turn.

That he did and Makkem Lad ($41) immediately put a space between him and the chasing pack. All seemed lost when that same lot came baying for blood at the furlong pole, but that’s when that big organ pumping underneath Makkem Lad’s ribcage took its cue to step onto the stage.

The pint-sized customer kicked into another gear to grind his way towards the winning post. The fast-finishing Magic Wand (Noh Senari) and blinkered Be Bee (Matthew Kellady) came breathing down his neck at the 100m, but Logan’s gutsy galloper was able to hold them safely at bay.

Magic Wand claimed the runner-up spot half-a-length away with Be Bee losing no marks in third another neck away. The winning time was 1min 9.9secs for the 1200m on the Long Course – just a tiny 0.08 second outside the one he clocked at the dead-heat with Mr Malek.

A delighted Logan, who was at a rare double after Golden Flame saluted earlier (see earlier report), greeted her apprentice jockey with a warm “That was a perfect ride!” at the weigh-in.

“Yusoff and I watched that race when Makkem Lad dead-heated with Mr Malek over and over,” said the New Zealander.

“I told him go out there and ride him identical. Skip away on the turn, and let them catch you.

“This horse has got such a big heart. He tries so hard all the time, and he loves the 1200m on turf.

“Yusoff saved him up, saved him up, he just rode him to instructions. It was a perfect ride from him, he did me so proud today.”

The Penang-born rider, who joined Logan in 2019 after spending around one year with ex-trainer Saimee Jumaat, was pleased the extra hours of homework have paid off, while also making amends for a previous mistake on the same horse.

Yusoff was suspended one day for careless riding when he came across to get to the fence too quickly on Makkem Lad at his previous start on February 13.

No such mishap from barrier two this time, only a happy ending and happy days.

“Mrs Logan told me to ride this horse the same way as the way Duric rode him to that dead-heat,” said Yusoff.

“He was very relaxed, he enjoyed the race, but I have to say the good draw also helped. There was no need to use him up, and he did it so easy.

“I could feel the other horses coming in the straight, but I wasn’t scared. I knew my horse still had something left in the tank.”

Raced by the Eden Park Stud Racing Stable, Makkem Lad has now recorded six wins, five seconds and six thirds from 27 starts for prizemoney that has now tipped over the $340,000 mark.

Golden Flame puts Starlight out

GOLDEN FLAMEJ POWELLD LOGAN

Michael Lee, 27/03/2021

Trainer Donna Logan was a picture of joy and sheer relief after the unfancied Golden Flame came up trumps on Saturday.

The Mossman six-year-old was snapping a run of outs that had begun for the Kiwi horsewoman since her only 2021 win with Pasir Pinji (another longshot) on January 23.

Logan had headed down to the parade ring another 41 times since, including saddling former top Lee Freedman runners Muraahib and Minister with high hopes, but unfortunately, could not return home with the same smiles.

Golden Flame (John Powell) puts paid to his rivals in Race 5.

Until Golden Flame ($76) came along in Saturday’s $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1400m, cruising to the front at the 300m under an inspired ride by John Powell to roll even-money favourite Starlight (Louis-Philippe Beuzelin).

“It was about time. It’s been a long dry patch for us,” said Logan.

“This horse just likes the 1400m and the rain wasn’t going to worry him at all. JP rode him a treat as well.

“I thought he was a bit handier than I would have liked but I guess JP knew what he had underneath him. What a rock star, JP!

“Starlight was the horse to beat, but as a three-year-old against older horses, I thought that would make him vulnerable today.”

Michael Clements’ two-time winner had no excuse. The Headhunter three-year-old enjoyed a fairly economical run behind the leaders, but just didn’t have the same brilliance when Beuzelin asked him for the supreme effort upon straightening.

He did look a little field-shy at the 250m, even copping a slight bump, but a second place one length off Golden Flame was still full of merit. Terrific (Saifudin Ismail) completed the tierce another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 23.47secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.

Powell said he was happy where he was in the running, and when he popped the question, the answer was just what he wanted.

“Everything went good. I was happy where I was,” said the veteran Australian jockey.

“I wanted to drop back but he jumped good and when I grabbed hold, the others had already gone back.

“When I peeled him out, he never stopped. He was super.”

Golden Flame has now taken his record to four wins and 12 placings from 29 starts for prizemoney that is closing in on the $220,000 mark for the Golden Billion Stable.