Attention in the Northern Territory now turns to the Darwin Cup Carnival from July 2-August 1.
An eight meeting extravaganza culminating with the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on July 30 and $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) when the equine marvels celebrate their birthday.
Before then it’s the annual Tennant Creek Cup Day (May 14) and Adelaide River Cup Day (June 4), while Katherine Cup Day is scheduled for August 13.
Looking ahead to the Darwin Cup Carnival there is no NT-based horse performing any better than the Tom Logan-trained four-year-old mare Poupee.
The former Queensland galloper arrived in Darwin after finishing second against 0-62 opposition over 1100m at the Sunshine Coast on February 4.
After a four length win against 0-70 class over 1100m on debut as a $2.70 hope at Fannie Bay, Poupee had tongues wagging in her next two starts.
On April 14, she made her 0-70 rivals look second rate by posting an extraordinary eight length win over 1000m as a $1.55 favourite with the top bookmakers.
Stepping up to open class on Anzac Day over 1100m, Poupee ($1.75 fav) proved too good for the other two starters in the race winning by four lengths.
In-form Northern Territory jockey Sonja Wiseman, Logan’s partner, piloted Poupee in all three rides and the times on the dirt were better than average.
Poupee (Better Than Ready-Pekan Flight) was trained by Stuart Kendrick in Queensland where she had three wins in 21 starts racing at both Brisbane venues and the Sunshine Coast – and also achieved five seconds and two thirds.
Logan, 39, purchased Poupee on an on-line sale.
“I knew where the trainer was from and kind of knew people who worked for him,” Logan said.
“And got a little inside information on her knowing she was sound and everything was right with her.
“We paid $15,000 for her and it has been a very good buy.
“She had very consistent form over the 1000m and 1100m on the Sunny Coast down that way.
“Watched a few replays and spoke to a few people.
“The conditions up here suit the sprinters a lot.
“What she has done in her last three starts has been a bit of an eye-opener, that’s for sure.”
Poupee is only a very small horse, but she has done everything right since arriving in Darwin.
Logan agreed that she was clearly the best horse in his small stable adding that he is looking to the Darwin Cup Carnival with her.
“She’s going really well, a lovely natured horse and so quiet around the stables,” he said.
“Going into a race she doesn’t give you much of a sign that she’s going to run a really good race.
“When those gates open she’s a completely different horse.
“It’s a bit hard to get a bit of a guide on her, but she’s flying at the moment which is really good.”
So impressive since arriving in the Northern Territory, Logan contemplated taking Poupee south to race during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival.
“If Alice was a month later probably for sure.” he said.
“It was too short in between runs – she’d have to have won on Anzac Day then a quick trip down to Alice Springs.
“She’s only a very small mare, so it would have really taken it out of her.
“Just going to save her up now just for the Darwin Carnival.”
Blueant and Malibu Edition have already made an impression for the Logan stable since arriving in Darwin, while Bear Forever is finding his feet.
Blueberry Boy and Brazen Boy have yet to start at Fannie Bay, and Logan has got three or four more horses arriving soon.
“Blueberry Boy has come from down south from Mt Gambier way. My cousin and a few of my mates all own him,” Logan said.
“He’s been up here for about two months and I’m pretty excited about him. Sonja has won on him before at Penloa, so I know a fair bit about the horse.
“Brazen Boy won his first trial in Adelaide by 14 lengths. He has won in Murray Bridge (900m) and Oakbank (1050m), so he’s definitely got that good early speed.”
Logan, who ended up in Darwin via Alice Springs and South Australia, is enjoying the Top End lifestyle.
With Sonja Wiseman booting home winners on a regular basis in Darwin and Alice Springs of late, it’s hard to see the couple leaving the NT in the short term.
“I started in Alice Springs about seven years ago with Viv Oldfield and ended up coming up to Darwin and meeting Gary Clarke,” Logan said.
“Then I went back to Adelaide, travelled around a little bit and then rang Gary up and came up and worked for him for a couple more years.
“Only had a few runners in Adelaide about seven or eight years ago, then didn’t train and ended up working elsewhere in the horse industry and learned a lot from good trainers.
“I then came up here and said to Sonja, why not, we’ll just have a crack at it.
“We’re both good horse people, we’ve worked with good trainers and if we can put our brains together hopefully we’ll get some good results.
“So far it has worked out pretty well.”