KEY POINTS:
Donna Logan was mildly surprised, not staggered, when she checked her stopwatch during the training session at Ruakaka yesterday morning.
You wouldn't normally expect horses to be sprinting 600m in 36sec on a track that had endured 100mm-plus rain in a little more than two days.
But then
Ruakaka, like all sand-based racetracks, is rarely affected by huge dumps of rain.
The incredible winds have been another story completely.
It has probably cost class act Aftershock his chance of making a winning return to racing in the $20,000 Ford XR8 Sprint at Ruakaka tomorrow.
Donna and Dean Logan and Chris Gibbs were unable to work their team on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings because of the extreme winds.
"There were sheets of iron flying around and the big advertising signs around the course had split open like cans and were flapping in the wind - there was no way you could work a horse past them."
Donna Logan decided to test the wind on Ruakaka Beach.
"I leaned back against it, ending up at 90 degrees and there was no way I was going to fall backwards. The wind was incredible."
Aftershock has not raced since striking a leg problem after a close second in the Avondale Cup in December.
Logan sees missing Tuesday's gallop as crucial.
"I thought he could win on Saturday, but missing two days work will impact on him and now I'm not sure.
"I couldn't gallop him this morning because he'd missed two days work."
Two-year-olds require much less work than stayers and the stable is happy about the condition of The Mooseisloose, who has the tough job of tackling outstanding unbeaten filly Martini Red in tomorrow's $60,000 Oceanz Seafood Breeders Stakes.
The Mooseisloose was stylish winning at Ruakaka at the last meeting and looks a youngster of real talent, but chasing Martini Red will be a different story.
The Cambridge filly's two winning runs have been remarkably easy and part owner and trainer Ross Elliot says he is happy with the way she has trained on. Elliot also has Vanny Fair engaged and after two good seconds, including chasing The Mooseisloose home last time, has claims to some of the money.
Figure Of Speech and Jovial Jock have fought each other at their last two visits to the races and square off again in tomorrow's $30,000 St Reims and Stoney Bridge Whangarei Cup.
One and a half kilos separated the pair in the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga last start and Figure Of Speech won easily. There is a 2.5kg gap this time on handicap, but that will drop back to 1.5kg with an apprentice claim on Figure Of Speech. He deserves to be favourite when you realise he beat Jovial Jock at Te Rapa two starts back when giving him 3kg.
* Ford Xr8 Sprint, $20,000, opn hcp, 1400m (run at Ruakaka tomorrow): $3.50 Who Knows; $3.80 Aftershock; $4 Tenjuberrymud; $4.40 Star Of Rio; $13 Mr Multiwin; $14 Double Ar Be; $18 Shanghai Devil, Bak Da Chief.
* Northland Breeders' Stks, $60,000, 2yo, 1200m (Ruakaka tomorrow): $2 Martini Red; $5 The Mooseisloose; $12 Henrekson, Align To Infinity; $16 Linnet, Vanny Fair, Triple Tipple; $26 Dramatic, Saletta, Promace, You Go Hugo, Triple Ex; $31 Spin Act; $51 De Goals.
* Whangarei Cup, $30,000, opn hcp, 2100m (tomorrow): $4.40 Figure Of Speech; $4.80 Jovial Jock; $5.50 Cape Kinaveral; $6 Stabinthedark; $7 Joerok; $9 Letsgoparty; $13 Bringbackthebiff; $14 Douce; $21 Bellaforte, Rhythm Method.