Australian jet-setter hoping to defy logic

Even his UK debut will be a baptism of fire - this Saturday's Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase against Arkle favourite, Best Mate, over Sandown's quickfire fences that demand agility and surefootedness to complete.

"Despite all that, I'm sure he'll run a big race on Saturday," said Andrew Balding. He has been Logician's caretaker handler since his arrival last December at the yard from which father Ian saddled Mill Reef to win the 1971 Derby and Arc, the same year that Crisp was making waves for nearby Lambourn on the jumps.

He said: "It's impossible not to like Logician. He's very athletic and sound. At 10, he's at the peak of his form, which speaks volumes on the quality of Tony's training.

"Although he hasn't tried anything like the Gold Cup trip yet, the impression he gives and the videos of his races that I've seen suggest he'll stay. We're hoping Sandown's ground won't be totally cut up and bottomless, despite the weather, as it hasn't been raced on so far this season.

"That would be a worry - 'soft' in Australia is nothing like as muddy as over here. His fitness will improve for the race, but he's used to fences coming at him in quick succession in Australia. Our jockey Barry Fenton has been schooling him over British fences on our gallops to teach him not to flick through the top, as they do back home, but can't get away with over here. We're taking him to (uncle) Toby Balding's yard later this week for a final practice over his even larger fences. Saturday will be tough, but he's up to it."

Balding has offered a five-star service to ease Logician's acclimatisation to his second winter in a year.

Recurring problems with large, soft-soled feet limit exercise mainly to the mechanised horse-walker and demand he is chauffeur-driven from yard to gallops, rather than putting one hoof in front of the other like stablemates on b&b rate.

Family connections sparked the bond between Noonan and Balding, girded by the former's busman's holiday to the UK last July.

It was then the 40-year-old rags-to-riches trainer decided to conquer America and Britain. The US invasion went astray when ground for last October's Breeders' Cup Chase was too firm, but Cheltenham remains in his sights.

Noonan said: "To have a horse even competing at such a traditional meeting is just a dream.

"But this horse has tremendous ability and deserves to be competing against the best in the world. I have had four jumpers in my career as a trainer. The first three were good, but not as good as Logician."

Noonan sets his own standards. In just 10 years since quitting as a boarding-school teacher, he has risen from training just one horse in Kilmore, near Melbourne, to a string of 150 spread between two yards at Caulfield and Mornington.

He has enjoyed more than 500 winners, including Logician's AV Hiskens Chase triumph on his second start over fences last July at Moonee Valley - a race as sought after in Australia as the Cox Plate on the Flat and won by Crisp in 1969.

The man himself isn't due to join his horse over here until early March and was last seen working through a million-dollar shopping list at New Zealand's yearling sales, accompanied by Balding's uncle and former trainer Lord Huntingdon.

But Noonan trains his Gold Cup hope via a digital camera and the internet.

Balding explained: "Tony hasn't seen Logician since the abortive US trip, but we e-mail close-up stills, so he can monitor his horse's condition from the other side of the planet."

Should Logician complete his first assignment this Saturday, he may not need electronic communication to hear Noonan.