There’s every chance leading NT jockey Sonja Logan will boot home her 500th career winner this weekend.
She has four rides in Darwin on Saturday and three rides in Alice Springs on Sunday.
Polarising and Beatification, trained by husband Tom, are serious hopes at Fannie Bay, while Chole Baxter’s NT debutante Taraashoq and Peter Stennett’s World Affairs are decent each-way prospects.
Bookings at Pioneer Park on Sunday include last start winner Hell Fire Miss and new arrival Iconic Missile for trainer Lisa Whittle, as well as the handy Miracoli for trainer Dick Leech.
Logan is in good form with 12 wins during December and January, so cracking 500 wins this weekend is certainly attainable.
So as to not jinx herself, Logan elected not to talk up her hopes.
After booting Tayarn Halter’s Funnyifitwon home at Darwin last Saturday, Logan fell agonisingly short of reaching the milestone when she finished second in three other races.
The former Queensland and SA jockey has 15 wins in the Top End and Country premiership this season and is second behind Jarrod Todd, with 18 wins.
Logan, who won the 2022/23 Alice Springs and Provincial premiership, has 10 wins this campaign in the Red Centre and sits behind apprentice Dakota Gillett, with 12, and Paul Denton and Stan Tsaikos, with 11.
“Sonja has had great success in the NT since debuting in November 2018,” Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said.
“She returned to Queensland in September 2019 and rode at one Darwin meeting in January 2020 prior to Covid.
“After a stint in SA at the start of 2021, Sonja and Tom, who has enjoyed success of late, relocated permanently to the NT in June that year.
“Sonja has also overcome numerous hurdles such as a serious fall during the 2021 Darwin Cup Carnival and she was assaulted outside her home during the 2023 Darwin Cup Carnival.”
Feature wins in Darwin include the 2024 Palmerston Sprint on Early Crow, the 2021 NT Derby on Sanblas, the 2024 Darwin Guineas on He’s Maverick and the 2022 Rose Bowl on Valentina Star, and the 2022 Chief Minister’s Cup on Trident in Alice Springs.
With 102 wins in Darwin, 89 wins in Alice Springs, three wins in Katherine and two wins at Adelaide River, the 32-year-old nominated Poupee and Fromthenevernever as the two best horses she has ridden for the Logan stable in the NT.
Of the best horses she has partnered in the NT, Logan settled on current trio Early Crow, Red Wraith and O’Tycoon and former trio Trident, Liberty Blue and Roughly.
As part of her rehabilitation following her assault, which occurred on the eve of her wedding, Logan has spent plenty of time in the gym, so much in fact that she hopes to contest a body-building event at the end of the year.
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