Horsham trainer Aaron Dunn is holding on to the slim hope Victoria can protect its recent dominance in the $250,000 Group 1 Chariots Of Fire at Menangle on Saturday week.
Dunn’s young star Forty Love is one of just three Victorian contenders left in the race to win Australia’s premier four-year-old feature race.
The Alex Ashwood-trained Miki B booked his spot in the Chariots when fourth in a qualifier last Saturday, while Forty Love and the Andy Gath-trained My Ultimate Barney are trying to do the same in Saturday night’s Paleface Adios Stakes at Menangle.
They both need a top four finish to progress in a race where brilliant former Kiwi mare Captains Mistress is a commanding $1.20 favourite. Forty Love is $9 second elect and My Ultimate Barney is $17.
Victorians have “owned” the Chariots Of Fire in recent times, winning six of the past eight with Bay Of Biscay (last year), Catch A Wave (2023), Better Eclipse (2022), Lochinvar Art (2020), Poster Boy (2019) and Jilliby Kung Fu (2018).
“We’re all probably up against it after watching Captains Mistress win at Melton a couple of weeks back, but we’ve got to give it a crack,” Dunn said.
“I actually drove in that race (Group 1 Queen of the Pacific) against her that night and she just blew us all away. If she holds that form, these races (Saturday night and the Chariots) are hers to lose.”
Family commitments will keep Dunn at home this week, but he hopes to drive Forty Love in the Chariots if he qualifiers this week.
“I’ve snared a handy fill-in (driver) with Luke (McCarthy),” Dunn said. “And we’ve finally drawn well, too, albeit maybe a bit too well for him if you know what I mean.
“He’ll start from (gate) one, but he’s not the fastest out so he’ll probably end-up three back on the inside, but that’s not a bad spot to try and qualify from. I’ll leave part up to Luke.”
Forty Love, who boasts 10 wins and over $150,000 in earnings, ran one of the best races of his career when third to champion pacer Leap To Fame in the Group 2 Ballarat Cup three starts back.
“I’d love to think he’ll run up to that again and with some luck he’ll get through to next week,” Dunn said.
Forty Love has been to Menangle twice before for a restricted class win and a close fourth in a heat of the NSW Derby last year.
Dunn’s growing stable and busty schedule will also see him have two runners closer to home – Little Louie (gate seven) and Maxy Wants To Play (eight) – in Friday night’s Ararat Pacing Cup.
“I’ve put Ryan (Backhouse) on ‘Maxy’ and I’d lean to him as my best chance,” he said. “It’s a good race, though. The way Sanchez and Meteor Moth both went at Melton last time, they’re the ones to beat.”
Dunn said Maxy Wants To Play and stablemate Komodo were the two contenders to fill his slot in the inaugural $125,000 Running of the Bulls at Birchip on Sunday week. It is Victoria’s first harness slot race.
“Birchip is a small track and ‘Maxy’ flies around the small Mildura track, so if he runs well this week, he’s a big chance to go to Birchip in our slot,” he said.
“I’d imagine Sanchez and Meteor Moth are headed the same way for other slot owners, so it’ll be a good race.”
