Dunn going the extra mile in search of success

Victorian horseman Aaron Dunn will hope to make the miles count today (June 14), when stablemates head off chasing harness racing wins in opposite corners of the State.

The Horsham-based stable’s Protostar 2yo slot race prospect Forty Love (Downbytheseaside) will get another run under his belt when Dunn takes a team on a four-hour road trip across the State to the Shepparton meeting tonight.

And earlier in the day, stable staffer and freelance driver Ryan Backhouse will head north with fast-class pacer Hot Deal (American Ideal), in a bid to follow up his success at the Mildura track a week ago.

“Doing both meetings is more to get a suitable two-year-old race for Raffa (Forty Love) to keep him ticking over for the Protostar,” Dunn said.

“I possibly could have waited until next week with him, but he’s such a good doer, and this race suited,” he said.

“And on the other hand, with Hot Deal (a NR113 class), he’s on a mark now where we really have to take him either to Melton or Mildura.

“But I won’t be doing the Mildura and Shepparton meetings in one day too often in future, I can tell you.”

Forty Love has won three of his four starts, and Dunn has given his juvenile star a brief respite since his victory in the Sapling Stakes at Melton at the end of May.

“I didn’t turn him out, but just gave him a quiet week after that, then have been ramping him up again since,” Dunn said.

“He’s ready for the run but I’m not sure yet whether I will give him another start after Shepparton, or just take him to Queensland for the leadup race to the Protostar – we will just see how he pulls up after this run.”

In Mildura, 18yo Backhouse will get his first opportunity on Hot Deal for more than 12 months, since winning on the horse and stablemate Eyethink, making it a double for the Dunn stable at Ballarat on March 30 last year.

“Ryan hasn’t got his driver’s license to be able to take the float when he goes to Mildura every week, so I usually drive them when we go up,” Dunn said.

“A friend Kevin Pymer will drive them up, and hopefully they’ll be able to get a good result and make it worthwhile.”

Former Tasmanian Backhouse is chasing a number of personal milestones at Mildura today when he has 10 driving engagements.  He is currently sitting on 98 career wins – and is one win short of 50 wins at the Mildura track.

Under new Victorian programming guidelines to come into play next month, Mildura will be allocated regular Friday afternoon meetings, with Melton programmed for Friday nights.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink