Racing: Logan favours a break for new star

From left to right, jockey Vinnie Colgan, trainer Donna Logan and owner Heather Crofskey. Photo / Richard Robinson

Donna Logan is prepared to make Australia wait for their first glimpse of her undefeated four-year-old Hasselhoof.

She had given thought to a trip to the Melbourne spring carnival for the Listed Harry White Classic at Caulfield later this month, but that is now unlikely to eventuate.

"This horse is so untapped and he's still such a baby," said Logan, who prepares the four-year-old with Chris Gibbs.

"I'm going to recommend we put him in the paddock. We've talked about Melbourne, but I don't think he is strong enough mentally at this point in time."

Hasselhoof kept his perfect record intact when he successfully stepped up to a middle distance in yesterday's Thomson Wilson Handicap for his fourth win in as many appearances at Ruakaka.

However, the pre-race plan for Matt Cameron to settle the long odds-on favourite off the pace from the widest gate went awry soon after barrier rise.

"We wanted to ride him back and have the last crack at them, but they weren't doing much early and he was going to be flushed out wide so Matt went forward," Logan said.

Hasselhoof worked into a handy spot and after hitting the front soon after straightening the son of Tavistock responded to the challenge of Smedley to draw clear and win by a length and a half.

"There's a lot more in store for him," Logan said.

Meanwhile, The Justice League may have had some hard luck stories behind him at Ruakaka yesterday, but he could also have been forgiven if he had missed out on a winning three-year-old return.

The Nigel Tiley-trained gelding went into the Tavistock Northland Breeders' Stakes without the benefit of a trial and he had to overcome a horror alley against a competitive field of Guineas hopefuls.

"He had to work hard from the outside gate and he really stuck to his guns," successful jockey Michael Coleman said.

The Justice League had to be ridden aggressively from the barrier to sit outside the leader Billy Mojo before he had that runner's measure into the straight.

"Halfway down I was still quite confident and he started to shorten up the last bit, but he kicked again when the others came at him," Coleman said. "He's a really promising horse and that was a strong field."

The Justice League showed his fighting qualities under pressure to hold off the late charge of Selfie with Rocanto also rounding off strongly for third.

- NZ Racing Desk