The recent defeats of Rising Romance and Volkstok'n'barrell have been particularly hard to take for trainer Donna Logan.

Not so much because they were beaten, but because winning would have meant so much.

Just five days after Mongolian Khan downed Volkstok'n'barrell in the New Zealand Derby on February 28, Logan's training partner and former husband Dean died after a long battle with throat cancer.

Two days later, Caulfield Cup runner-up Rising Romance was a controversial second in the New Zealand Stakes which Donna Logan had hoped would be a fitting memorial to Dean.

Both horses will be at Rosehill on Saturday with Logan confident they can turn things around.

Volkstok'n'barrell runs in the Group One Rosehill Guineas while Rising Romance is favourite for the Epona Stakes.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks since losing Dean," Logan said.

"Life's not fair sometimes.

"I've had to say goodbye to my daughter to go to Sydney which has been hard.

"But the horses have travelled over well. It's the first time Volkstok'n'barrell has been away from home overnight and he has handled the trip.

"I would have loved to see him win the Derby for Dean but I'm sure he can turn the tables on Mongolian Khan. The 2000 metres will suit our horse more than him.

"It's just a question of whether they are up to the Sydney horses.

"Hallowed Crown looks very, very good."

Opie Bosson rode the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Mongolian Khan to win the NZ Derby while Matt Cameron was aboard Volkstok'n'barrell.

Their roles were reversed in the New Zealand Stakes when Bosson rode Rising Romance to her nose second.

His protest against Cameron - who rode Sakhee's Soldier for the Baker-Forsman combination - was unsuccessful, a decision that mystified Logan.

"To get beaten a nose in a Group One race after her momentum was disrupted so severely was hard," she said.

"She won the start before that and is in great condition and she is well weighted in the Epona."

Under the set weights and penalties conditions of the Group Three Epona Stakes (1900m), Rising Romance carries equal top weight of 59kg with the imported Sabor A Triunfo.

James McDonald, Rising Romance's Australian Oaks winning jockey, reunites with the mare while Craig Williams rides Volkstok'n'barrell.

All being well, Rising Romance will back up from the Epona into the Group One BMW seven days later before contesting the Sydney Cup.

She was beaten by Admire Rakti in the Caulfield Cup and will meet another Japanese visitor To The World in the BMW.

"She is a much stronger mare now and I'm confident she is up to it," Logan said.

Logan got a taste for Australian racing when she brought El Duce over the Tasman to run third in the 1999 Canterbury Guineas won by Arena.

Her most significant wins have been the 2002 Metropolitan with Victory Smile and last year's Australian Oaks with Rising Romance.

Her biggest challenge now is to keep Logan Racing on an even keel with the help of her children Samantha and Robert.