Racing: Logan guns blazing at Ellerslie meeting

Donna Logan will know more about her team for the Brisbane winter carnival following the premier meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Logan and training partner Chris Gibbs will have five runners spread over the three black type races at Ellerslie, all of whom are potential candidates for the Brisbane carnival.

All Roads will be Opie Bosson's mount in the $200,000 Manco Easter Stakes (1600m) and the stable will provide three of the 13 runners - Tavidream, Comin'through and Jake The Muss - for the $100,000 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes (2100m).

Unbeaten two-year-old Qiji Phoenix completes the black type team and is the only winner in the $50,000 Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes (1600m).

Qiji Phoenix, a colt by Not A Single Doubt, has won his two raceday outings and will be on trial for a tilt at the A$600,000 group one Atkins Stakes (1600m) in Brisbane, a race won last year by Sacred Elixir.

Qiji Phoenix, who will be ridden by Leith Innes, won a maiden two-year-old at Te Rapa first-up, before winning decisively over 1300m at Ellerslie, beating his Champagne rival Weather With You into second, with Aquamosa, another Champagne contender, a further six lengths away in third place.

"He's a really grouse little horse and we expect him to get 1600m," Logan said.

However, the Ellerslie track was rated as a heavy 10 yesterday morning and Logan would like to see an improvement in the track for all her runners.

Tavidream and Comin'through are two of the obvious prospects in a strong field for the Championship Stakes and might both be aimed at the A$600,000 Queensland Derby.

Tavidream, a Tavistock gelding, is making his middle distance debut but has looked much above average when recording four wins and two seconds from six starts. He completed a hat-trick of wins when winning a R75 1600m at Ellerslie on April 1.

"He's still very green and there is so much upside in him," Logan said. "We haven't needed to try him over a middle distance till now because he's been very competitive over shorter distances. But his pedigree suggests he will stay and I can't see any reason why he won't."

There is no doubt over Comin'through's staying ability and he has already won three races at 2000m or further, including winning over 2100m at premier meetings at Ellerslie at his last two starts. "He's beaten the older horses at his last two starts and that's not easy for a three-year-old," Logan said.

Jake The Muss, a brother to the Easter Stakes hope Consensus, has been racing solidly at 1600m in rating 65 company.

Alysha Collett will ride Tavidream with Leith Innes on Comin'through and Danielle Johnson on Jake The Muss.

All Roads won the Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga at his last start and was the runner-up in the Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie in January. "He's not as well off at the weights as he was last time [at Tauranga] but we are very happy with him," Logan said.

Logan has never won the Easter and Bosson's only win came on Pomp And Glory in 2004.

The unbeaten mare Let Me Roar is likely to dominate the betting market for the Easter with Hiflyer another four-year-old of high promise in the field.

- NZ Racing Desk