Wet weather is forecast ahead of racing at Tauranga on Saturday but Donna Logan is hoping the worst of it stays away.
The South Auckland trainer is set to take half a dozen runners to the Bay of Plenty meeting, including her exciting Group Three performer Yokozuna (Fierce Impact), who will resume in the J Swap Contractors 3YO 1200.
“I am looking forward to seeing him back,” Logan said. “I am hoping there is not too much rain because I am uncertain about how much rain he can handle.”
The son of Fierce Impact has had just the two starts to date, winning on debut as a late juvenile at Ruakaka last July before finishing runner-up to the well-performed filly Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at the Northland venue a month later.
He has subsequently been given time to mature and Logan is pleased with the way he is coming up, having won his lead in trial over 1000m at Tauranga last month.
“He has been off the scene for quite some time,” Logan said. “He has strengthened up a lot, is growing physically and I look forward to seeing what he can produce for us.
“He probably wasn’t a two-year-old when you see how he has matured now, so that was pretty encouraging that he did what he did as a young horse.
“Our apprentice, Tom Wigram, rode him (in his trial last month) and I thought it was a nice effort. He was probably a bit further forward than I had anticipated in his prep, so I was quite happy with him.”
Logan said she has no set plans for Yokozuna and said his performance this weekend will dictate his next steps.
“We are going to have to be guided by how he performs and how the weather treats us,” she said.
Of her remaining runners, Logan is particularly looking forward to lining up Unwritten (NZ) (Telperion) and Syracuse (NZ) (Swiss Ace) in the Craigs Investment Partners 1400.
The pair were unplaced over a mile at Te Aroha last week and Logan has elected to drop them back in distance this weekend.
“I thought Unwritten would have won another one by now, but Opie (Bosson, jockey) said she didn’t get the mile,” Logan said. She and Syracuse are having a quick backup. They raced at Te Aroha and they really didn’t let down on the track conditions that day.
“I am hoping back to 1400m we see a bit more. Syracuse has won at Tauranga so let’s see what she can perform like back there over 1400m.”
Meanwhile, Logan’s Group Two performed two-year-old Parfait Dimanche (Anders) has returned to breeder and part-owner Tony Rider’s Milan Park for a spell following her unplaced run in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) last Saturday.
That run concluded a pleasing juvenile season that netted placings in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m), and Logan is looking forward to her returning to the barn ahead of her three-year-old campaign.
“She pulled up a treat (after the Sistema),” Logan said. “We have sent her home for a well-deserved spell. She will strengthen up and I am sure she will come back better and stronger as a three-year-old.”