By Michael Lee, Singapore Turf Club
King Arthur got trainer Donna Logan and the Fortuna New Zealand Racing Stable’s new partnership off to a most regal start at their very first day at the office on Sunday.
The Kiwi trainer was the lucky recipient of powerhouse outfits Te Akau Stable and Fortuna’s string of horses when four-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker suddenly packed up and returned home last month.
As many as 21 horses split almost two ways between the two New Zealand stables headed Logan’s way to beef up her stable to close to full house capacity (59 horses), along with other horses and Walker’s staff as well.
Given the stock transfer took place only a few weeks ago, racing form and fitness was almost “off the shelf” with Logan hence able to kick off at Singapore’s inaugural day of the 2022 season with four ex-Walkers among her nine starters, namely two Fortuna NZ Racing Stable wards, Elliot Ness and King Arthur, and one Te Akau, Axel while Exdream belongs to Dato Terry Lee’s Fairdeal Stable.
With the best result coming thus far from Elliot Ness’s fourth place (ridden by Jerlyn Seow Poh Hui who had also transferred indentures from Walker to Logan) in Race 3, the brand new Kiwi merger looked set for a rather subdued start, but the last bullet, King Arthur came reigning supreme at the right time in the penultimate race, the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1000m, to give them the lift they needed in this apt backdrop of a fresh start in the new season.
Logan, who is three weeks shy of her 60th birthday, said the reinforcements were like a divine manna from heaven, because to her, she thrives on numbers.
“I feel like I have been blessed by God. I’m so grateful to David Ellis (of Te Akau) and John Galvin (of Fortuna) for their support,” she said.
“I never trained for either when I was in New Zealand, but of course, I’ve known both David and John for a number of years.
“I’ve known David and his wife Karyn for the longest time, my husband Peter doesn’t smoke, but he loved to have a cigar with David at the races back home!
“My daughter Sam pre-trains for David and they used to call her Te Akau fan, and now I’m called Te Akau Donna!
“It’s a big thrill to train for such professional organisations. It’s a great challenge and I’m also so grateful they have given me a new lease of life.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, it has put a spring in my step. Every morning, I wake up before the buzzer goes off.
“At my peak, I had 110 horses in my yard. Numbers don’t scare me, especially with such professional staff, both mine and the ones who joined me from Mark.
“I have become a mother to more staff and more horses, and I’m loving it! It’s a real pleasure to train for David and John, there’s absolutely no pressure.”
Logan humbly said her job was also made easier when the squad she inherited came to her in impeccable order, and needed minimum input.
“All the horses arrived to us in good order. When they are trained by Mark, you expect nothing less from him,” she said.
“And King Arthur was one of those. My only concern today was the wide barrier, especially over 1000m.
“But all the horses have strengthened up after the freshen-up, and the horse just flew the gates. Initially, Shafiq tried to ease him off, but as the horse had so much pace, he just let him roll.
“It’s always an advantage when you have a jockey who knows the horse, and Shafiq has continued to ride work for us, just like Harry (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) and CC Wong (Chin Chuen), we’re really grateful to them.
“It was very exciting to see King Arthur win today. I feel greatly honoured I was chosen to fill that position, and to deliver with a winner on Day 1 is an added bonus.
“I was just on the phone to John and he told me today was the birthday of one of the owners, Mr Stewart. I’m glad he was duly rewarded with a birthday present.”
If Mr Stewart was watching the race on TV from New Zealand, he could have unwrapped the present from the top of the straight.
The I Am Invincible four-year-old landed in front from his awkward alley without burning too much petrol, but Rocketship (A’Isisuhairi) and Hyde Park (Seow) kicked up on the outside to guard the rails.
That manoeuvre unfazed Shafiq who never attempted to break King Arthur’s stride, so much so, they found themselves swinging out into the home straight as a clear leader down the middle of the track.
Rocketship could have spoiled Logan’s and Galvin’s day as he came chipping away at the margin along the fence, but King Arthur never abdicated to go and post a comfortable 1 ¼-length win in the end. The well-backed Romantic (Akmazani Mazuki) also tried to level up out wide but his challenge lacked sting as he took third place another two lengths away.
The winning time was 58.93 seconds for the 1000m on the Polytrack.
That third win from 11 starts along with place cheques from four seconds and one third has vaulted King Arthur’s stakes earnings past the $100,000 mark for the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable.
