Karaka Gamble Pays Off With Romancer (NZ)

Co-trainer Donna Logan admits that she went beyond her normal price range to buy Romancer (NZ) (Redwood), but it looks like money well spent after the Karaka graduate produced a quality performance to win Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Schneider Electric Mufhasa Stakes (1300m) at Ellerslie.

Logan paid $110,000 to secure Romancer at the 2015 Select Sale. After charging home from well off the pace for a half-length win in Saturday’s three-year-old feature, the gelding has won two of his three starts and is well on the way towards recouping that cost.

“I paid a bit more for him than I usually pay,” Logan said. “But Redwood impresses me a lot and his progeny are stepping up all the time.

“The support from the owners after I bought this horse was amazing and we had no trouble filling the ownership very quickly.

“He’s a beautiful horse. He’s more of a Derby horse and I didn’t expect him to do that today, but he was very impressive.”

The first stakes winner for Westbury Stud stallion Redwood, Romancer was bred by Westbury owner Gerry Harvey in partnership with Whangateau Thoroughbreds Ltd. He is raced by Mrs A Gibbs, J A Gibbs MNZM, Mrs D M Logan, D & K Milliken, OTI Management Pty Ltd, Stirling Bloodstock Ltd and Mrs L A Warwick.