Volkstok'n'barrell is closer to the possibility of running in the Makfi on the opening leg of the Hastings treble than he was even a week ago.
Trainer Donna Logan returned yesterday after two weeks in Inner Mongolia and Vietnam and declared the stable was thinking more about the Makfi, after earlier considering the star galloper was not even a possibility to go to Hastings.
"Our thoughts were always that the Memsie in Melbourne would be his kick-off point, but if he goes straight to Melbourne it will be a month between the Memsie and his second Australian start and we might be better off letting him have his first run in the Makfi and we can then take our time getting him to Melbourne."
Logan was to sit down last night to go through team members with Chris Gibbs, who joins Logan as training partner from this weekend.
"We want to compare notes to see where we are with Volkstok'n'barrell and then a lot will depend on how he goes in the trial on Saturday."
Gibbs says he can see significant improvement in Volkstok'n'barrell from his 3-year-old campaign. "He's certainly strengthened a lot. I ride him ever second day - I obviously don't do the fast work on him - and he feels tremendous.
"We are toying with the idea of running him in the trial in a set of blinkers. It might just help him travel into his races better."
Volkstok'n'barrell is joint $5 favourite with Kawi for the Makfi Challenge on August 29. Vespa is quoted at $6 and Ryan Mark is on $9.
Kawi is at the same $5 quote for the 1600m Windsor Park Plate on the middle day at Hastings, ahead of Vespa on $7, Turn Me Loose at $8 and Pondarosa Miss at $10.
Logan couldn't wait to get back to her house late yesterday.
"My daughter [Samantha] trained her first winner and I wasn't here to see it," she said.
Sam Logan produced Magna Carta to win the maiden hurdle at Rotorua on Sunday. "They recorded it for me. I'm really excited, I can't wait to see it."
