By Sharon Zhang, Singapore Turf Club
Trainer Donna Logan can’t wait to see boom apprentice jockey Hakim Kamaruddin making his riding debut under her tutelage on Saturday, but it’s the next day that she has been looking forward the most in recent weeks – a much-awaited family reunion back home in New Zealand.
She will still get a chance to give Hakim a leg-up on Eagle Eye before husband Peter Woods and herself board their New Zealand-bound flight this Sunday.
“I haven’t been able to go home, so I haven’t seen my children in three years now,” said Kranji’s only female conditioner.
“Also, Peter’s mother had a stroke. We thought it’d be good to go back and visit our families.
“I’m flying off at 8am this Sunday and I will be gone for a couple of weeks.
“But the stable will be in good hands with our B-trainer Jasuli (Sulaiman) and Chi (Chihiro Lizuka) overseeing things.”
Logan only recently welcomed Hakim to the barn even though last year’s sensation had transferred his indentures to her much earlier in the year following the sudden exit of four-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker in December. A three-month suspension and COVID-19 were the main reasons for his long time away from the Kranji scene.
Last year’s dual Singapore champion senior and apprentice jockey is no stranger to Logan as the pair have combined for six winners thus far.
From his three rides (two others are Healthy Baby and Fighting Hero for trainer Jason Ong), Eagle Eye is prepared by Logan, and happens to be his last winner at the 2021 season’s last meeting.
Holidays are around the corner, but it was still business as usual on Thursday morning at the barrier trials. Logan was on hand to watch her Kranji Mile nominee, Minister, go for a spin under her apprentice Yusoff Fadzli.
Alongside Minister in the same heat were other Kranji Mile contenders, namely Lim’s Lightning (Danny Beasley), Mr Malek (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) and Gold Star (A’Isisuhairi Kasim).
Gold Star came out tops, while Lim’s Lightning (5th), Minister (6th), Mr Malek (7th) took it easy in the 1000m hitout.
Logan decided to give the six-year-old son of Street Sense another go in a trial this week because she thought he still carried a bit of condition.
“He’s fat, so I have to keep trialling him to trim him up,” said Logan.
“This is to get him ready for the Class 1 race over the 1400m on April 30.
“Big guns like Lim’s Kosciuszko and Katak will be in that race. It’s like a Group 1 race.”
Both Lim’s Kosciuszko and Katak are also nominated for the Kranji Mile, the first feature race to be held on May 21 this year.
The glamour race has received 31 entries at its first round of nominations, with Daniel Meagher’s Lim’s Lightning on top on 112 points, and Tim Fitzsimmons’ Relentless at the other end on 66 points.
