Mr. Lucky riding a change of fortunes

Happy-go-lucky Horsham harness racing trainer Aaron Dunn is struggling a little at the moment, but he can still see the bright side.

“I’m telling people that the problem is that I’ve had too good of a run!” he laughed.

Dunn is resigned to having to take it easy for the next few months after a horror fall at Mildura a eleven days ago involving three other drivers, at the same time his stable superstar Bondi Lockdown (Somebeachsomewhere) is also “laid up” with a minor hiccup.

Dunn, along with Alex Ashwood, David Smith and Ryan Sanderson were all involved in the spectacular Mildura fall that saw stewards call off the event.

Remarkably, Sanderson suffered only bruising, but Smith, of SA, was catapulted several metres into the air and is facing three months on the sidelines to recover from a fracture in his back and surgery on a broken wrist. Ashwood suffered a broken wrist and facial fractures after being dislodged face down from his sulky.

Dunn said his worst injuries was a hematoma to his left hip from landing heavily on the track, and the bruising was just starting to come out.

“I’ve had some tingling and numbness down the leg as well. I was initially worried about my back, but that’s fine. However, my ribs are so sore it feels like one is broken. I did get them checked out and it’s only bruising,” he said.

“It seems that things have all gone wrong since I come back from the Chariots in Sydney. But it is what it is and it’s not going to change.”

“Carl (Bondi Lockdown) has had some time off because a few things weren’t quite right. His first-up third at Cranbourne was good because 10 to 12 days prior I had to back-off on him.

“He was tying-up and I’m not sure if he may have been nibbling capeweed that’s sprung-up a bit with the rain. So I’ll get a blood test and go from there. I’m the only one who can work the horse as he can be a bit tricky.”

Dunn said he had also decided to toss out Hot Deal (American Ideal) and Mykorona (Four Starzzz Shark) after they both went off their feed.

“There’s something going on, but I just can’t pinpoint it at the moment. You always think they may be eating a bit of sand, or your hay isn’t the best. But I’m happy it’s neither of those problems,” he said.

“We also had a lucky escape with Little Louie (Sweet Lou) who could have easily snapped a back leg in a freak accident. He’s got a bit colty and kicked out around the tie up area.  We’ve got rubber matting up to two cattle rails about four inches apart and somehow he managed to get a back hoof caught up between the two rails.

“So, here he is, hung up and I couldn’t get him free. In the end I had to get an angle grinder and cut away the rails. He’s running around fine now like nothing happened.”

Dunn said while he had about 20 horses on his property, he was working only four.

“I’m trying to do them with young Hannah Parish who comes and gives a hand as well as attend Longernong College where she’s doing an agriculture course.

“Stacey Barker had been here for a while, but she’s gone home to help her father Rod. I just didn’t have enough work for her at the moment.

“I’m sore, but my doctors say that if I can rest and look after myself, time will be the biggest healer. I did decide to take it real easy one day and spend time just laying around and I felt a lot better for it.

“I’ve had my share of bad falls over the years, probably too many. I’ve busted and broken elbows, collarbones and another time my right shoulder, but I don’t think anything’s broken this time.

“One day I told (the late) Gavin Lang that perhaps I should learn the art of how to fall out. He told me that was one thing you just never learn to do!”

Dunn said while he struggles to get into a pair of jeans with the hip injury, he then can’t wear a belt.

“I feel like I’m part of the younger brigade, getting around minus a belt and with the pants hanging low,” he joked.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink