Volkstok'n'barrell Snatches Rosehill Guineas
Description:
New Zealand-based Volkstok'n'barrell swooped down the outside nearing the finish in the Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (Aus-I) and nailed victory by the slimmest margin from Preferment March 21 at Rosehill Gardens.
Hallowed Crown and Victoria Derby (Aus-I) winner Preferment battled through the stretch, but jockey Craig Williams delivered with Volkstok'n'barrell, with not a stride to spare, right on the finish line to deny Preferment by a nose. Recent Randwick Guineas (Aus-I) victor Hallowed Crown, the favorite, stayed on for third about 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner.
The time for 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on good turf was 2:03.47.
Volkstok'n'barrell notched his first win at the top level after checking in third in the Essilor New Zealand Avondale Guineas (NZ-II) Feb. 14 and then second to Mongolian Khan, who was unplaced Saturday, in the New Zealand Derby (NZ-I) Feb. 28. Volkstok'n'barrell's record improves to 6-1-2 from nine career starts for Donna Logan, who trains the son of Tavistock for a partnership that includes breeder Idl Breeding.
The Rosehill Guineas win marked an emotional victory for Logan, whose training partner and ex-husband, Dean Logan, died earlier this month after battling throat cancer. The Logans bought Volkstok'n'barrell for $50,000 (US$41,970) from consignor Seton Park at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock select yearling sale.
Volkstok'n'barrell is the first group I winner for young Cambridge Stud resident stallion Tavistock. His dam is the winning Volksraad mare Volkster.