Ruakaka trainer Donna Logan starts year in style

THREE in a row for Logan Racing at this week's big "Where Surf Meets Turf" race meeting at Ruakaka gave trainer Donna Logan extra satisfaction on the back of some good results over the New Year period.

Logan Racing trained horses won the fifth, sixth and seventh races on the gallops card on Tuesday, which drew immediate online attention.

"There have been a few inquiries about a couple of the winners from overseas interests looking to buy them, so obviously we're weighing up if they're worth hanging on to," Logan said.

Fiamette was the first winner, with the 4-year-old taking her race by almost six lengths. Hvala won race six by a similar margin, while Hymatsu was also a comfortable winner in the seventh race.

"Not only [was it satisfying] winning three races in a row but the way they won their races left me very, very pleased with the performances on the day," she said.

The results at the stable's home racetrack came hard on the heels of success on New Year's Day at Ellerslie.

"We won two big group races at Ellerslie on New Year's Day. Volkstok'n'barrell is now the New Zealand Derby favourite, so that's massive," she said.

It was the horse's fourth straight win - not bad considering the 3-year-old Tavistock gelding has only had five race day starts. He started his career with a third placing and after that has had a perfect record with the $100,000 Group 2 Great Northern Guineas at Ellerslie his biggest win to date.

Stablemate Midnitemajicman is currently the fourth Derby favourite after winning his first race of the day at the New Year's Day meeting at Ellerslie. Another 3-year-old Tavistock gelding, he was superbly steered home by top international jockey, Kiwi James McDonald.

Meanwhile, stable favourite Durham Town returned to his old form with a close third in the group one Sistema Railway Race and not to be outdone, both To Be Sure and Candle In The Wind defied their long odds by finishing fifth and seventh respectively in the top class Rich Hill Mile field.

Volkstok'n'barrell will have two starts ahead of the New Zealand Derby race meeting on February 28; a mile race at the Karaka Million Twilight meeting at Ellerslie on January 26 and over 2100m at the Avondale Guineas on February 14. Midnitemajicman will also start in the same race at Avondale.