A share in 2015 New Zealand Derby favourite Volkstok’n’barrell has been purchased by Victorian-based Rosemont Stud.
Donna Logan is hoping that Volkstok’n’barrell can go one better than Rising Romance and win the New Zealand Derby. Photo by: Steve Hart
Volkstok’n’barrell made his racing debut with a third place finish in a maiden at Ruakaka on August 30 before he stamped himself as a horse to watch with a dominant all the way win in the Split Bar Maiden (1400m) at the same venue on September 13.
The Lord Tavistock gelding went into the Group 3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on September 27 and the three-year-old worked home extremely well in the final stages of the race to record a dominant four and a half lengths win.
Trainer Donna Logan has set Volkstok’n’barrell for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and she revealed to Sky Racing HQ yesterday that a share in the talented galloper had been purchased by Anthony Mithen’s Rosemont Stud ahead of his return to racing this weekend.
“Rosemont Stud in Melbourne has bought shares in Volkstok’N’Barrell,” Logan said.
“He is Derby bound and he has performed well.
“He is racing for the first time this time in over 1300 metres this weekend, where he will be vulnerable.
“The deal has been finalised and Rosemont Stud are now partners in the horse.
“He has been very prominent with his racing to date, he is still very green and he has a lot to learn, but the Tavistock stock have been very forward in the three-year-old racing here in New Zealand at this stage and I think he has shown that he has exceptional turn-of-foot.
“He is pretty untapped at this stage, but we are very happy with what he has shown us to date.”
Logan narrowly missed out on winning the New Zealand Derby with Rising Romance earlier this year, with the talented mare finishing second behind Puccini, and she is hoping that Volkstok’n’barrell can deliver her a win in the Group 1 event.
Volkstok’n’barrell will start his New Zealand Derby campaign at Ellerslie this weekend and will have a number of opportunities to add to his racing resume as he progresses to the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on February 28.
“It is at Ellerslie and it is a three-year-olds set weights and penalties race over 1300 metres,” Logan said.
“He will go from that to the Great Northern Guineas on January 1st over a mile then at the end of the January there is the Karaka Million Mile.
“February 14 is the Avondale Guineas over 2100 and on February 28th is the Derby over 2400.”
Rosemont Stud is the home of promising stallions Starspangledbanner, Starcraft and Toorak Toff.
