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Leading Northern Rivers trainer Matthew Dunn never expected to see the words ‘Snitz’ and ‘The Everest’ in the same sentence. Now it is being whispered in the hallowed racing halls around Australasia. So there we go!
After the COVID19 restrictions came into play, Dunn didn’t have a WFH option, “We are in the far North in Murwillumbah. We would typically take our horses into Queensland for the races. When COVID19 restrictions came into force, the borders closed and we couldn’t go into Queensland. So we had to think out-of-the-box. We decided to take our best horses into Sydney and target the top races there instead,” said Dunn.
And one of his top horses Snitz has been a revelation since the move. The 5YO gelding was purchased at a Ready To Race sale on the Gold Coast. He has already scored two wins, since his move to Sydney, the latest in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes.
“The level he’s racing at now, I didn’t ever envisage him getting too, to be honest,” Dunn said in an interview with Racenet.
“The timing of the transition to the Sydney stable and track was a good one. He’s reached full maturity.”
"We sent our best horses to Sydney. They were in peak condition, which helped expedite the journey and helped them remain very competitive."
“Snitzis currently on a break, but he is pointed at The Kosciusko, and The Everest” Dunn said.
Matthew Dunn started as a jockey and later transitioned to training when he got too heavy, “I rode for about six years before I started training. The rising weight made opportunities less and less frequent as time went on. At that time, I had no real intention to train ever.”
After training at Port Macquarie for five years, Gerald Ryan asked him to run his Sydney stable which helped Dunn get broad work experience with a range of horses.
The transition hasn’t been easy says Dunn, “I’ve never worked so hard in my life. My partner and I are working separately for the past few months as well. But in the end, it is about getting the job done."
His other stable star – Lady Banff has added another string to her bow, coming from off the pace on a heavy track to make a winning return and provide the Matthew Dunn stable with the first leg of a winning double at Rosehill. She is pointed at the Melbourne Filly Series.
There doesn’t seem to be a downside so far to the creative solutions Dunn found for his situation during this challenging COVID19 situation.