Dare wouldn’t run in a Perfect world
MATT Dunn is all but committed to an Eye Liner Stakes start for talented sprinter Perfect Dare at Ipswich on Saturday despite conceding the probable wet track renders his chances useless.
Dunn feels the Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at Caloundra in a fortnight is the right race for Perfect Dare and he needs Saturday’s hitout to be fully fit for that assignment.
Perfect Dare ran a slashing last start third to Deploy in the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Doomben on June 3.
Ipswich was rated a Heavy (9) yesterday.
“He nearly has to run on Saturday,” Murwillumbahbased Dunn said.
“He’s probably going to get bashed up but at least it lines him up properly for the Glasshouse.
“The other option is to go to the race the following week (Healy Stakes) but it’s not ideal backing up into the Glasshouse.
“Now that we know he’s no good in (wet ground), the only times to run on it are times like this, where we know he needs to go around.
“He’s so much better on top of the ground.
“When he went to the Country Championship final (on a Heavy 8 at Randwick on April 1), that was sad.
“He was hopeless in that ground and it was proven by the horse that won the race, he beat by five lengths the start before.”
In-form Jim Byrne is com- mitted to the Perfect Dare mount, meaning Tony Gollan (Casual Choice) and Toby Edmonds (The Virginian) had to secure new riders for the Eye Liner.
Gollan booked Luke Dittman for Casual Choice, while Edmonds is keeping his options open for The Virginian, who went up second favourite at $6.50 behind Acatour ($4.80) with UBET yesterday.
Dunn also has Strawberry Boy in the Eye Liner and still thinks the veteran has something to offer.
“His run the other day was OK. He galloped with Perfect Dare this week and worked as well as him,” Dunn said.
“He’s a great big heavy horse that takes stacks of fitting up.
“I don’t think he’s finished. He still has plenty of zest.
“Tegan (Harrison) will suit him. He’s a much better horse when he can get to the front and dominate.”
The Dunn stable rates Steamin’, who loves wet tracks, as its best hope at the Ipswich meeting.