This might be Mighty Logan’s spring.
Because the man who knows him best says the former Dominion runner-up has come back in the best form of his career.
That man is John Dunn who was in the sulky when the comeback trotter wore down Mr Love to win the ITM Ordeal Cup at Addington on Friday and seal his place in the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot.
It was Mighty Logan’s first start since New Year’s Eve at Alexandra Park and soon after Team Dunn realised why he wasn’t quite racing up his best form of the previous year.
“We found he had a knee issue that required an operation to clean it up,” explains John.
“He has come back a different horse. His work has been really good and he will get even better for that run.”
Mighty Logan had to live up to his name after being held up at the 300m mark when Eurostyle galloped in front of hm, that coming after he burned in the middle stages to get the lead so it was a hell of a performance after so long off the scene.
Dunn says the seven-year-old will stick to standing start races until the Dominion on November 10, a race which is way more open that it was two weeks ago when Keayang Zahara was a red hot favourite before she was withdrawn.
While defending champion Gus is being aimed at Cup week again the trainers of some of our better trotters at least now have reason for renewed hope and at the moment Mighty Logan and Mr Love might be at the head of that local list.
There is no doubting The Lazarus Effect is close to the head of the local pacers being aimed at the New Zealand Cup after he made it two wins from as many starts this campaign in the Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup a race later.
The punters who took $1.28 had some nervous moments as he galloped for the first few strides of the race but he soon settled, managed to stay in front and always had things in control afterwards.
He ripped over his last 800m in 54.1 seconds and if Bob Butt can keep him sound in the next two months he will have some role to play in the big ones of Cup week.
On any normal night his closing sectionals would have been the standouts but not on Friday as Faith No Fear exploded down the home straight to remain unbeaten by denying hot favourite Tour Party the same distinction.
In just his second star Faith No Fear, the brother to Captains Mistress and half brother to Merlin showed he has inherited the family speed as he came off Tour Party’s back to beat him fair and square.
The leader will of course improve, this being his first start of a new campaign, but the final 400m was 26.5 seconds meaning coming from behind Faith No Fear has gone close to 26 seconds to win, all still with plenty to learn.
Later on the card Eun Sogno was also in dashing form to win the Ian Dobson Memorial Johnny Globe over a brave Kotare Rimu and a luckless Franco Ankara, who would have won but for being pushed back at a crucial stage.
On a night of highlight performances one of the best came from trainer Kyle Cameron who produced his stable star What The Dragon to win fresh up after 13 months away from racing suggesting he is an open class trotter of the future.