Logan's New Zealand revival gathers momentum

Donna Logan will saddle a trio of runners on Saturday at Ellerslie on Winter Finals Day as the multiple Group One winning trainer continues to make significant strides to re-establish herself in New Zealand.

The accomplished horsewoman spent seven years in Singapore but her time in the Lion City was cut short as the government put a halt to horse racing in late 2024, with the Kranji racecourse earmarked to make way for housing.

Logan and husband Peter Woods returned to New Zealand and set up shop at Byerley Park, South of Auckland, rather than the northern climes of their previous base at Ruakaka.

The location is proving a positive for the couple and the winners are starting to flow, while Logan is also deriving great satisfaction from mentoring her 16-year-old apprentice Tom Wigram, who celebrated his first raceday winner at just his third ride last week.

“It is good to be home,” Logan said. “We are enjoying it a lot, and it’s also nice having Tom to inject a bit of youth around the place. It’s exciting.

“Byerley Park Park's great, it's very central, we're close to Ellerslie, Pukekohe, Avondale, Hamilton's just down the road, and even Tauranga is not that far.

“I just couldn't do the travelling like I did when I lived in Ruakaka. Now with Tom riding regularly, we're thinking, imagine if we had to drive back to Ruakaka each day.”

Re-stocking takes time and Logan has been pleased with the support she has received since returning home, posting 14 winners from a limited team, which continues to build since jumping back into the fold 16 months ago.

“We've got around 40 horses split between two barns,” Logan said. “We've got a pre-training barn and a racing barn.

“We’ve built up a good band of staff around us since we got home and they’re very dedicated and ultra reliable.”

Logan has taken Wigram under her wing, with the four-kilo claiming apprentice sure to be in demand through the winter months, with the youngster engaged for six rides at Ellerslie on Saturday.

From a showjumping background, Wigram spent school holidays riding trackwork in Cambridge before a mutual contact put him in touch with Logan.

“Tom was a little bit disheartened with New Zealand. He didn't know if he'd get the opportunity as an apprentice here and asked a lady who worked for me many years ago to get in contact with me to see if I could recommend somewhere in Australia for Tom to go,” Logan said.

“I said, I don't know him, and I'd have to work with him before I could recommend him to anybody.

“So he came to work with us, and we spoke about what his desires were, what he wanted to achieve long-term, and I just said, I don't know that going to Australia is right at this point in time. I think you'd get chewed up and spat out over there.

“So Tom asked if I would be interested in offering him an apprenticeship, and the rest is history.

“He lives with Peter and I and we get on exceptionally well. He is very driven, very devoted, and passionate about racing full stop. Whether it's Australia or New Zealand, he's always watching races, he's watching all trials. He's really devoted to trying to get ahead in life.”

Logan believes all three of her charges are solid each-way chances at Ellerslie on Saturday and she is pleased to see a Winter Series with $70,000 stakes on her doorstep.

“We've always had that winter series at Ruakaka over the years, and I think it's so appealing for clients who have horses racing at this time of the year,” she said.

“It's a real bonus, because your winter horses deserve an opportunity to race for good money. I think it's a really good idea that they've put together and that it is at Ellerslie. It’s the shop window for New Zealand racing, and you just have to look at the acceptances to see how popular it is.

“Beat Of The Sun (The Autumn Sun) is a very progressive horse and he races over 1600m. He's an out-and-out stayer in the making. I think you'll see him at his best over 2000m, but he will still go a good race on Saturday.

“Long Island (NZ) (Reliable Man) is going to be suited to the mile and Ellerslie. She's raced well there before and Tom’s claim will be important. He's just got to get her nicely balanced and I think she's a good top four chance.

“Curved Glory (NZ) (Ghaiyyath) is dual accepted but will probably go to the Progressive Final over a mile rather than the three-year-old race.”

Beyond the Ellerslie trio, Logan is pleased with the younger stock emerging from her barn.

“We have got a nice Satono Aladdin filly out of the Good Faith family who looks exciting,” Logan said.

“We also bought a Sword Of State filly at Karaka and the sire has made a good start and she is one to look forward to.

“Belle Rebelle (NZ) (Ribchester) has already proven herself to an extent as a winner and stakes placed from just three starts and we have a good opinion of Arcadia (NZ) (Contributer), a Contributer filly who won well at the trials at Ellerslie.

“She played up at the gates at the Avondale trials yesterday and we've just got to iron out that issue but I think she has got exceptional ability and there is a bit to work with.”