Dunn eyes 400th driving win at Melton

Energetic Horsham trainer-driver Aaron Dunn admits he’s not one for keeping close tabs on harness racing career milestones.

“I might occasionally take a look during the season at how many winners I’ve got as a trainer, but that’s about it,” he said.

So, it came as a surprise to learn that tomorrow night at Melton (August 23), Dunn could be celebrating his 400th career driving win.

Dunn has four runners engaged. He will partner Ruff Nut (Poster Boy), Forty Love (Downbytheseaside) and Maxy Wants to Play (Shadow Play), while his other runner Komodo (Fear The Dragon), who clashes with stablemate Forty Love in the Prydes Easifeed Pace, will be handled by Jackie Barker.

Punters will be buoyed by Dunn’s assessment of Ruff Nut, the $2.80 favourite in race four, the Renown Silverware Pace (2240m).

“The race last week at Melton was run to suit him, but I really liked the way he hit the line in winning,” Dunn said.

“In saying that, his previous four runs were all good, including a second placing in town, because things haven’t really been working out.

“He relies on toughness rather than speed, so with the right tempo, he’s never going to be too far away.”

Dunn plans to keep the pacer ticking over with the VicBreds in November a key target.

“He’s probably a bit below the best ones. He’s not a Derby horse or anything like that, but he’ll keep doing a job.”

Ruff Nut, bred by Dunn out of the Art Major mare Azzgoodazz, has four wins and five placings from 21 starts.

“Komodo is his half-brother. The mare only had those two before she died. I was checking her paddock one day and I reckon it may have been a snake bite that got her,” Dunn said.

Dunn is also upbeat about Forty Love, a placegetter in two of his three runs this preparation.

“I got held up on the fence last start, but the horse is going super. Obviously the one to beat is Stormryder from the Emma Stewart stable.”

While Dunn has driven 399 winners to date, he’s also prepared 219 winners as a trainer, with 32 wins and 43 placings so far this season.

And his former star pacer Bondi Lockdown, now in the United States with ex-pat Aussie Aaron Lambert, continues to build his bank. The stallion finishing second at Yonkers last week before finishing fourth a few days later, taking his earnings past $US70,000 (A$108,000).

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink