Racing: Durable Durham Town still top act

An exhibition gallop put on by Ruakaka based horse Durham Town, owned and trained by Dean and Donna Logan. Photo / Northern Advocate

Durham Town has spent most of his career battling the country's top sprinters and he continues to prove more than a match for most of them.

He served further notice of that at Ellerslie yesterday when he thumped his Group 3 Darley Plate rivals, and not for the first time.

The 7-year-old beat Group 1 winner Vonusti in the 2012 edition, was runner-up the following year and third 12 months ago.

Durham Town has also won the Group 2 Concorde Handicap and the Group 3 Stewards' Stakes.

He has placed five times at the highest level in multiple Railway Stakes and Telegraph appearances for trainers Dean and Donna Logan.

"He's such an amazing horse and with a good draw, a lighter weight and a top jockey it all worked in our favour," stable representative Sam Logan said.

Durham Town went to the front yesterday and responded immediately when Opie Bosson asked him to lengthen stride 250m from home.

"There was no way they were going to beat him today," Bosson said. "All credit to the Logan team, he's a lovely old horse."

The Falkirk gelding has won eight of his 29 starts for a syndicate that includes Donna Logan, former master trainer Jim Gibbs and wife Ann and ex-All Black coach John Hart.

Durham Town won easing down by three and a quarter lengths from Shelford with Hannah Mary taking third money.

— NZ Racing Desk.