Volkstok’n’barrell trainer Donna Logan happy for the Group 1 winner to play the underdog

HE has won more prizemoney than any rival and has two Group 1 wins in his past three starts, but Volkstok’n’barrell has been shunned as a $15 chance in the Hollindale.

Volkstok'n'barrell take out last year’s Rosehill Guineas.

HE has won more prizemoney than any rival and has two Group 1 wins in his past three starts, but Volkstok’n’barrell has been shunned as a $15 chance in Saturday’s Group 2 Hollindale Stakes.

Perhaps it is a measure of the quality of this year’s Hollindale, but trainer Donna Logan believes the price assessors have got it wrong.

“I expect him to finish in the first three and then improve again going to the Doomben Cup,’’ Logan said. “We always have upside to our horses through a campaign.’’

Logan said Volkstok’n’barrell was being judged on his Doncaster run on an unsuitable track.

“I don’t mind not being the favourite,’’ she said. “That’s beautiful as far as I’m concerned.”

Before the Doncaster Mile, Volkstok’n’barrell won a Group 1 mile at Otaki, north of Wellington, and then the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

That was the kind of form that took him to victory over Preferment and Mongolian Khan in last year’s Rosehill Guineas.

Logan said he was a better horse as a four-year-old.

“He was very good in those last two wins and the difference now is that he’s bouncing out of his runs better than ever,” she said.

Volkstok'n'barrell take out last year’s Rosehill Guineas.

Logan said Volkstok’n’barrell had travelled well to his Nudgee base and he had a gallop on the Doomben course proper on Thursday.

“He had a good blow, but he worked well,” she said.

Volkstok’n’barrell is the lesser-fancied of the New Zealand Hollindale duo, although Sakhee’s Soldier’s co-trainer Murray Baker is far less bullish than Logan.

Baker is not sure what to expect of Sakhee’s Soldier, who is rated an $11 chance with UBET.

“It’s hard to ascertain how he might line up,” Baker said. “He’s been injury plagued unfortunately, but at his best he was able to beat Rising Romance at weight-for-age last season, so he is a good horse when he’s right.

“I think on what he’s shown back here his past couple of runs he’s regaining that form, but he might be just short of (the Hollindale class).

“How he performs here will tell us whether he is worth a shot at the Doomben Cup or if we come back to the handicaps.”

Hauraki has been comfortably the best backed runner in early Hollindale trading, firming from $3.80 to $3 yesterday. Stablemate Old North is second pick at $5.50, with Excess Knowledge and local hope Sir Moments the only others under double figures.

Volkstok’n’barrell did appeal to some punters after opening at $19 on Wednesday.

Originally published as Volkstok’n’barrell trainer Donna Logan happy for the Group 1 winner to play the underdog