Consistent Ruakaka galloper Durham Town (NZ) made the long trek to Riccarton for the G3 Lindauer Stewards Hcp (1200m) on Wednesday and came away a deserved winner on the back of a consistent form-line.

The Donna and Dean Logan trained gelding had not finished further back than fourth in a half-dozen black-type runs since the beginning of last season.

Durham Town (6g Falkirk – Durham Walk by Marju) settled on the pace and hit the front on the dog-leg bend at Riccarton.  He held on to score by a neck from Natuzzi (Coats Choice) and Irish Fling (Darci Brahma) clocking 68.49 seconds under 59.5kg.

“He ran a good race first up at Rotorua and had come on since then,” Dean Logan said.  “The Group 1 Railway will be a nice race for him.  But we have to be careful otherwise he will get up in the weights pretty quickly.

“Jim Gibbs went up to Donna straight after she had purchased the horse and said he wanted a share.  Jim had connections with the family already and liked the horse – he was an outstanding type at Karaka.”

Durham Town was a $42,000 buy from Nerobella Lodge at the 2009 NZB Festival Sale.  The Stewards Hcp was his third at black-type level following the G2 Concorde Hcp and G3 Darley Plate.

Windsor Park resident Falkirk (Tale of the Cat) sired a feature double at Riccarton on Wednesday.  His five year-old mare Arietta claimed the first-leg in the Valachi Downs Breeders Stakes (1400m).