Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs will be spoilt for choice in the three-year-old division next season.
The Ruakaka trainers have enjoyed significant success with their juveniles this term and they will shortly be plotting classic courses for a number of exciting prospects.
Included among their Group contenders are the stakes performed colts Wyndspelle, Mongolian Falcon and The Soultaker while the filly Astara also picked up a black type credit to end her successful first campaign.
“Wyndspelle is back and we would like to be looking at the 2000 Guineas and hopefully the Caulfield Guineas with him,” Logan said.
“We haven’t mapped it all out in concrete yet, but he’s pretty well in himself. We will shortly start planning and locking a programme in.”
Wyndspelle was a winner at Te Rapa and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes during his four outings as a two-year-old.
Melbourne also features in the tentative spring programme of Mongolian Falcon, who beat the subsequent Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Gold Rush and the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Luna Rossa at his second appearance before he finished runner-up in the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper.
“Ideally, we would like to get to the VRC Derby – he’s a real staying horse,” Logan said.
Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes winner The Soultaker is more likely to chase the domestic three-year-old features.
“He’s looking really good and he’s strengthened and grown – they are all pretty exciting types,” Logan said.
Also fitting snugly into that category is the Listed Champagne Stakes winner Astara.
“She came back last Friday, she had a bit of a stone bruise that held her up but she’s fine now,” Logan said.
“There are plenty of options for her – the Gold Trail Stakes through to the 1000 Guineas, she’s a very exciting filly.”
– NZ Racing Desk
