Mighty Logan “can win” the Rowe Cup

The man who knows how to win Rowe Cups is starting to believe his next one might come sooner than expected – like at Alexandra Park just after 9.30pm tonight with Mighty Logan (Creatine).

John Dunn reined Sundees Son to win Auckland’s biggest trotting race in 2019 and 2021, only Covid canning the 2020 Cup costing him a likely treble.

Tonight he returns to Alexandra Park with Mighty Logan, who is no Sundees Son just yet but probably won’t have to be.

The heavily-backed trotter led and won the Anzac Cup last Friday when gifted a front line advantage over key rivals Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain and he gets the same tonight as the big two fared poorly in the random draw.

Add to that the potential fitness doubts over Bet N Win, who missed that lead-up race last Friday, and all of a sudden Mighty Logan becomes the horse to beat in the Rowe Cup.

“It is getting to the stage where he has to have a good chance,” says Dunn. 

“He has the manners and if he settles handy that gives him a big advantage over Oscar and Muscle Mountain.

“We all know how good Bet N Win is but he missed a race last week which isn’t easy  when you are racing over 3200m so a lot has gone right for us that hasn’t for other horses.”

Dunn says Mighty Logan always had the potential to be a Cup winner but his improvement coupled with others disadvantages means his time may come sooner than expected.

Still, he is a nine-win horse up against some more proven stars so will need to produce the same level of performance as last Friday to complete the double.

Either Oscar Bonavena or Muscle Mountain could win without surprising while Bet N Win is talented enough and could sit handy on the markers doing no work, the usual path to 3200m glory at Alexandra Park.

Earlier in the night Dunn will partner Ya Rite Darl (R7, No.6) in the Woodlands Trotting Oaks against her own stablemate Frazzled and favourite Habibti Pat.

Habibti Pat was the best of the three in the Derby last Friday but if Ya Rite Darl can use her gate speed to cross to the lead that will be a huge help.

The stable also has a handy filly in Cool For Cats (R8, No.1) in the Delightful Lady Final and her tactics could be crucial as if she leads then Australian visitor Ripples could get the race-winning trail but if she doesn’t hold the lead it becomes advantage to Alecto.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand