Dunn needs a bit of Magic
MURWILLUMBAH trainer Matt Dunn is desperate to get Magic Ruler a win before sending him for a spell and his chance is third-up at Canterbury on Wednesday.
The Snitzel colt has run second at both his starts as he heads into a Maiden Plate (1100m) with Tim Clark to ride him again from barrier nine.
He ran 1¼ lengths behind Yardstick a fortnight ago at Canterbury and the stable of that horse believes he will get to stakes grade in the spring.
“The winner of his first run (Mr Colorful) franked that form as good enough when he ran in town and obviously he was good the other day,” Dunn said. “He probably wouldn’t have beaten the winner last time if he didn’t get cut in half at the 300m but he would have finished a lot closer.
“The wraps on that going into that race were huge and he was impressive but I thought we went almost as good.
“He’s only a baby and he got a decent check but still picked himself up and finished it off, so he’s not far away and he’s a nice horse.”
Magic Ruler will face a field of inexperienced horses and with a bit of luck from a wide gate he can slot in and finish it off well.
“I want to win his maiden then give him a break because he’ll come back even better and he’s got stacks of ability,” Dunn said.
Green Mountain is an interesting Dunn runner in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m) after winning at Kembla Grange last start.
Before that he ran 11th and eighth in Hong Kong after Dunn trained him to a win at Doomben.
Green Mountain is a happier horse in Australia.
“I don’t know what happened in Hong Kong but he is a bit of a revvy horse who tries to get things done very quickly and that may have went against him up there,” Dunn said.
“He’s in good shape and should run well again.”
This run and his next will tell Dunn where Green Mountain heads this preparation as the better horses start to come back for the spring
“We’re still working out how far he wants to go,” Dunn said. “If he can relax well enough to run a trip he probably has a future over the carnival. He’s got the talent.”