It’s all systems go for Donna Logan and her high-class filly Rising Romance, who is set to tackle the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Logan has quashed media reports that a stone bruise will force the New Zealand Derby runner-up out of Saturday’s contest.
“She flies out (Wednesday) night,” Logan said. “Her last bit of work (Tuesday) morning was very, very good.
“I’m very happy with her irrespective of the comments reported in the Sydney papers that she is under an injury cloud and may not race. They are not correct.
“While she had ten days in the paddock after the New Zealand Derby she got a slight stone bruise.
“We’ve got new flesh, and obviously got new hoof growing there. We’ve got a pad over it to protect that new growth and I’ve sent photos with a vet report to the stewards in Sydney and I just wanted approval to leave the pad there, at this stage, for this race.
“The Sydney stewards have approved it and they will come and inspect her at a trot on Friday.
“Notifying the stewards is obviously of importance. You don’t arrive there with a pad on your foot and hope to race. I was just dotting and ticking and crossing.”
The prospect of yet another rain-affected Sydney track is of slight concern to the Ruakaka conditioner.
“She has performed here on a slow track, but every track surface is different,” Logan said.
“She won her second trial on a heavy track so realistically I would like to think she would handle it, particularly given she is a daughter of Ekraar, but it is an unknown.”
– NZ Racing Desk
