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Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs are looking forward to the winter and with good reasons after the performances at Ellerslie of two of their Brisbane-bound representatives.
The two-year-old Qiji Phoenix maintained his unbeaten record with victory in Saturday’s Listed Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes before Tavidream added the Gr.2 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes to his burgeoning record.
The former has the Gr.1 J.J. Atkins at Eagle Farm on June 10 on his programme while Tavidream has a Group One date a week later.“He’s definitely Queensland Derby bound,” said Chris Gibbs. “The Derby here just came up too soon for him so we backed off and he’s rewarded us today so it’s onwards and upwards.”
Tavidream has now won four races at Ellerslie and five overall and the Tavistock gelding’s progression has been closely monitored by offshore interests.“Each time he wins the more the offers come in,” said Gibbs, who shares in the ownership syndicate with his father Jim, a former top trainer.
Ridden by Alysha Collett, Tavidream enjoyed a perfect run one off the rail in fourth spot and he went clear 200 metres from home and held out by a head the late surge of Charles Road.“He had to step up again and there was a lot of good horses here,” Gibbs said.
“Charles Road gave him a run and it was nice to see our horse fight like that.”The pacemaker Camino Rocoso was three lengths back in third spot with the winner’s stablemate Jake The Muss next home.