Cambridge trainer Samantha Logan could be in for an exciting spring with her filly Phillyjean following her eye-catching runner-up effort in the Listed Chittick Family Fillies’ Classic (1100m) at Taupo on Sunday.
The daughter of Hello Youmzain sprung the gates and rocketed straight to the front under apprentice jockey Sam McNab, who controlled the race throughout. Phillyjean kicked again at the top of straight and quickly put several lengths on her rivals. She looked the winner a long way out, however, Hawea sprouted wings out wide and flew home late to nab her in the final 50m and win by a length.
Phillyjean has done everything but win so far in her career, finishing runner-up in all three of her starts to date, and Logan was pleased to see her filly acquit herself so well in her first stakes outing.
“She was pretty tough, it was a gritty effort,” she said. “We weren’t sure where she was going to measure up against the nice three-year-olds and it took an exceptional performance to beat her. It is good to see that she is in and around the nice horses.
“She has always been really natural and has done everything pretty easily, and we have always thought a lot of her.”
Logan said Phillyjean’s acceleration is her biggest asset.
“She is very quick,” she said. “She has got really natural gate speed, which is quite handy, she puts herself out of trouble.”
Logan is pleased with the way Phillyjean has come through Sunday’s effort and said she will likely follow the early part of the fillies’ series.
“She seemed bright and well this morning, and we will just tick her over quietly,” she said.
“We will see how she comes through it and keep her to those three-year-old races for now and maybe head to the Gold Trail (Gr.3, 1200m).”
The Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November is an obvious target, and Logan is hoping Phillyjean can stretch out to a mile.
“We are hoping so,” Logan said. “Her dam raced over ground, so we are hoping that is the case, but she has got so much speed it is hard to know at this stage.”
Bred and raced by John Newman, Logan said she has Carlaw Park’s Nick Fairweather and Nicole Brown to thank for having Phillyjean in her barn.
“She is owned by a client of theirs and they suggested to him that I do her early education for him, and he was happy and left her with me, so I am very lucky,” she said.
“It was good to get black type for him.”
Meanwhile, Logan is looking forward to the season ahead with several of her other stable members, particularly Flanagan and Katamuku.
Flanagan was a solid performer last season, finishing runner-up in the $80,000 Elsdon Park Plate (1600m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day, and ran fourth in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m), while Katamuku won her last three starts.
“They showed quite a bit last time,” Logan said. “Flanagan had a fourth at stakes level, so picking through the right races she should be able to go to stakes company again. We will kick-off at the trials next week at Waipa and go from there.
“Katamuku will more likely be seen closer to summer.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
