A first shot at real trackwork in two weeks on Wednesday confirmed two things for John Dunn, the man set to dominate Addington’s first open class meeting of the season tonight.
The first was that champion trotter Sundees Son is ready to win his surprise return to racing in the Basil Dean Trot, while Dunn now thinks Classie Brigade is the best of the three chances the stable has in tonight’s feature pace, the Maurice Holmes Vase.
Dunn is the number one driver and unofficial third trainer of the stable run in partnership by his father Robert and wife Jenna.
The stable threw a spanner in the works of tonight’s meeting – which was postponed a week from last Friday because of lockdown – when they entered Sundees Son, undoubtedly Australasia’s best trotter, for the open class trot sprint.
“He was originally set to go to the trials but he would have been off a big mark,” explains Dunn.
“So we thought about this race and with the small field and it being a mobile it was a good starting point, especially as our other horse Chief Of Staff had a minor setback midweek and will likely be scratched.”
With harness horses only being kept ticking over rather than having their usual twice-weekly searching workouts, the Dunn runners were short on fitness until they were able to be worked solidly again at Level 3 on Wednesday.
“He worked well and also trotted very squarely, which is the key for him,” said Dunn of Sundees Son.
“So he is ready to go and even though he will improve a lot with the run, he should win.” With that level of confidence, it wouldn’t surprise to see Dunn give Sundees Son his head early and lead, from where he would be unlikely to be attacked. This is sometimes the easiest way for a top horse to get the desired easy first start back at the races while still winning.
The Dunns also have three of the big names in the Vase – the first step toward November’s IRT New Zealand Cup – with Classie Brigade, Henry Hubert and Heisenberg initially down to take on the likes of A G’s White Socks in the 2600m standing start, although Heisenberg has since been scratched.
Their work on Wednesday changed Dunn’s mind about who the stable’s best hopes were anyway.
“We hadn’t given them proper workouts at full speed for two weeks obviously and the last time we did that Heisenberg suggested he was the most forward and I thought he could maybe sneak the win this week before he had an issue,” explains Dunn.
“But Classie Brigade was a lot sharper in his work on Wednesday, which suggests he is the one improving the most going into Friday.
“Unlike two weeks ago, they all worked on about par on Wednesday and with Classie Brigade having the best record, that makes him the one of ours to beat.
“He also has the draw and if he can cross A G’s White Socks at the start then he might be able to lead all the way.”
Dunn also warns punters to look out for the stable’s promising two-year-old debutante Itsamoneymaker (R3 N2) tonight, suggesting he is a juvenile better than maiden grade with the speed to use his draw.
- Tonight’s other twilight harness meeting is at Cambridge where Auckland horses have been allowed to compete but not trainers or drivers from the region. The Steve Telfer team looks one of the best to follow.
ADDINGTON PREVIEW WITH GREG O’CONNOR AND MICHAEL GUERIN BELOW:
