Jonny Turner, Harness News Desk
Inter-island trainer Robert Dunn is ready to continue his quest for a maiden national trainer’s premiership victory when he lines up a team packed full of winning chances at Addington on Friday night.
Dunn went in to harness racing’s Covid-19 hiatus with a 10-win lead over Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, who have yet to be sighted publicly since the end of lockdown.
Dunn’s team have not only hit the trials track, they have emerged fresh and ready to help the trainer add to his 79 wins for the season.
Dunn thinks Franco Niven in race 7 has the biggest chance of helping him extend his premiership lead.
“Franco Niven would be the bet of the day from our team, he is a class horse.”
“He is going to keep getting better.”
Franco Niven trialled well when second to Nimah Franco last week.
The pacer’s progress suggests he will continue to fire up well past Friday.
“We had to geld him when he was younger because he was a bit of a ratbag,” Dunn said.
“He lost that real colt look he has and it has taken him a long time to start to get strong again.”
“But, I think this season coming he is going to have a really good year.”
Dunn also starts Kensington Bill, who trialled quietly behind at Addington before his resumption, in race 7.
Carlos Bromac was a pacer on the rise before lockdown and is ready to continue his upward progression in race 12 on Friday night.
The horse made an excellent start to his career in Southland, before he was spelled after being tested against some of the country’s best 3yr-olds.
Carlos Bromac thrived on his summer break and now returns after the benefit of another spell during lockdown.
The pacer’s excellent trial win at Addington last week was proof of that.
“He wasn’t quite up to the derby horses, so we tipped him out and when he came back he really thrived,” Dunn said.
“I thought his trial win the other day was really good.”
“He is a horse that is going to win races pretty quickly.”
Wyatt Waller is almost certain to have gone further than any of his rivals heading in to race 3.
The 3yr-old was sold and exported to Australia after running second to Italian Lad in track record breaking time at Oamaru, last September.
Wyatt Waller suffered an injury after crossing the Tasman and the Dunn stable arranged the horse to be returned to New Zealand.
“The buyers were good clients of ours, so we arranged to give their money back and bring the horse back,” Dunn said.
“So, we are hoping he can do a good job because he owes us a little bit.”
“He is a nice horse and another good chance.”
The Player went two excellent races before lockdown and looks poised build on that in race 11, despite having to take on a classy line up including star 3yr-old, Cracker Hill.
The 4yr-old was given a quiet trial, tucked away on the markers before running in to sixth behind race rival Matua Tana, last week.
“His two runs before lockdown for second and third were great and we were rapt with his trial the other day – just running home the last 50m,” Dunn said.
Styx Kiwi in race 5, Rocknroll King in race 9 and Anamajor and Soundslikeart in race 10
Each look strong eachway chances.
