World is watching on at Ruakaka
Eyes from around the racing world will be focussed on Wednesday’s Whangarei meeting with several runners from the Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs yard claiming overseas ties.
First on show will be Romancer, who will make his debut in a maiden race following a smart trial win at Avondale last month.
The Redwood 3-year-old will be ridden by Vinnie Colgan, who will wear the colours of the Australianbased OTI Racing.
‘‘Terry Henderson from OTI is coming over to watch Romancer and to inspect anther horse, an unraced one by Postponed,’’ Logan said.
Their association began with Le Baron, a dual stakes winner in 2008 of the Group II Great Northern Guineas and the Listed Guineas Prelude.
‘‘We had him for Dominic Li and OTI bought him and left the horse with us through to the Derby. They said if we ever found something we really liked they would come on board again.’’
That happened when Logan purchased Romancer, who is out of a half-sister to the Group I winner Sirmione, for $110,000 at Karaka last year.
‘‘Terry approached me afterwards to see if I would sell them shares and they wanted 50 per cent,’’ she said.
‘‘After his first gallop I thought this is a serious horse, but we’ve taken our time and he was bought with the Derby in mind so hopefully he produces for us.’’
Meanwhile, the genuine Greencast, who is raced by her Singapore breeder Lena Ang, the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry-owned Mongolian Sky and Toorak Tower, who is partowned by Victorian breeder Rosemont Stud, complete the international brigade.
‘‘Lena has been an owner with us for a long time and Greencast is very well,’’ Logan said. ‘‘Mongolian Sky has done everything we have asked up to now and Toorak Tower will be an interesting runner.
‘‘He’s up against the older horses and we’ll decide after this whether he goes to Melbourne or if he stays here for a Derby campaign.’’
Toorak Tower impressed winning his last start and the massive 17 hand 3-year-old has been nominated for the A$1.5 million Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.