Among the equine stars appearing on the spring calendar for Racing Tauranga is Triple Group One winner Volkstok'n'barrell, which will be racing in Tauranga in November.

The Tauranga spring Racing calendar begins Friday, October 14, and is followed by a Pink Ribbon, Breast Cancer charity day on Saturday, October 29, before Tauranga Stakes Day on Saturday, November 12.

Volkstok'n'barrell. Photo: Trish Dunell

The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs-trained five-year-old Volkstok'n'barrell has enjoyed a good break since the Queensland winter carnival after heading to Australia in April, after winning the $200,000 Bonecrusher Stakes group One race at Ellerslie in March.

'I've never had him any better than he is right now,” says Donna.

'Chris and I can't believe it – he looks incredible.”

The Rosehill Guineas, Haunui Farm Classic and the New Zealand Stakes winner is scheduled to have an outing at the Ruakaka trials on October 4 before he resumes in the Gr.3 Lion Red Plate at Rotorua 11 days later.

'The handicapper has told us that he would be getting 63 or 64 kilos in a handicap and even a claim wouldn't help him, so it will be all weight-for-age racing,” says Donna.

He'll then run in the Stella Artois Tauranga Stakes on November 12, the first of three ‘Christmas at the Races' days scheduled for Tauranga. A top field is expected for this $100,000 WFA 1600 meter race.

Volkstok'n'barrell, who has won more than a million dollars has also won the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes earlier this year, and as a three-year-old he was successful in the Gr.2 Great Northern Guineas, the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes, the Listed NZB Karaka Mile and a minor age group event.

Racing Tauranga dates for the 2016-2017 Racing Season:

14 October 2016 Friday

29 October 2016 Saturday Pink Ribbon Raceday

12 November 2016 Saturday Christmas at the Races

9 December 2016 Friday Christmas at the Races

21 December 2016 Wednesday Christmas at the Races

2 January 2017 Monday Interislander Summer Festival

20 January 2016 Wednesday

5 February 2017 SundayBOP Harness RC

25 March 2017 Saturday Japan NZ International Trophy

15 April 2017 Saturday

27 April 2017 Thursday

24 June 2017 Saturday Kiwifruit Cup