The NZ G1 Railway Stakes on New Year’s Day is the next assignment for exciting young sprinter Durham Town.

The (NZ) bred son of Falkirk punched a return ticket to Ellerslie after an convincing victory in the G2 Concorde Hcp (1200m) on Saturday.  He clocked 69.51s in the Concorde coming home the last 600m in a cracking 33.83s.

“He’s a very, very talented horse,” part-owner and trainer Donna Logan said.  “He was in a position to be run down but that last sectional was very impressive.”

Ruakaka based Logan races Durham Town in partnership with former trainer Jim Gibbs and former All Blacks coach John Hart.  Gibbs and Hart won the 1995 Railway with Coberger (Famous Star).

Durham Town (4g Falkirk – Durham Walk by Marju) has won all 5 of his 7 starts at Ellerslie and Logan is hoping the Coberger connection will rub off in the 2012 Railway.

Durham Town was catalogued for the 2009 NZB Festival Yearling Sale by Nerobella Lodge and made $43,000.  

Gibbs approached Logan asking about the colt at Karaka.  He had prepared Falkirk’s dam Madam Valeta (Palace Music) to a G3 victory at Arawa Park and also took her across the Tasman for winter carnival wins at Eagle Farm and Doomben in 1993.

Durham Town’s dam Durham Walk (Marju) is a direct descendant of G1 Golden Slipper winner Fairy Walk (Minor Portion).  This family has also produced recent G1 Levin Classic winner Distill (Volksraad).

Falkirk (Tale of The Cat) was a winner of the G2 STC Theo Marks Hcp at Rosehill and G3 VRC Gilgai Stakes at Flemington before retiring to Windsor Park.

He will be represented by 11 Select lots and 4 Festival lots at NZB’s National Yearling Sales Series beginning January 30.