It’s a rare feat indeed for a horse to win a Grafton maiden then next start step straight into a Brisbane Saturday class event and win again, reports Tony White at racingnsw.

But that’s exactly what Matthew Dunn’s highly promising three-year gelding Quatronic did and achieved with authority at only his third start.

Now for the next step – the $100,000 Northern Rivers Country Championship Qualifier (1400m) at Grafton on Sunday.

It’s all come quickly for the son of Nicconi bred and raced by Lennox Heads based Dr Rob Sheahan and his family.

Quatronic is one of four runners Murwillumbah based horseman Dunn will saddle up in the prestigious event. A great achievement in itself.

With top Brisbane jockey Jim Byrne to partner Quatronic, his other runners are Legendary Luke (Jeff Lloyd), Carton (Glen Colless) and the enigmatic Buckin The Blues (Robbie Fradd).

Dunn holds an undeniably strong hand in the Championship Qualifier but it is Quatronic that is starting to capture everyone’s imagination.

Dunn makes no bones about his opinion of the gelding.

“He’s still got his L-plates on but he is learning all the time,” Dunn suggested. “He’s still a work in progress. He’s a very nice horse with a bright future.

“To be honest there’s not much between Legendary Duke and him at the moment but Quatronic is the horse that is only going to get better and headed to better races.”

The Brisbane win over 1200m on February 20 was definitive for the horses’ future.

“He won really well at Grafton and I sent him up to Brisbane to see if he was capable of taking the next step,” Dunn said. “After he won I decided to push on to the Country Championships.

“He beat some nice horses in Brisbane. They weren’t a bunch of walkers and he won dominant too after having to do it at both ends. He beat them up good and proper.”

Dunn has been pleased with the gelding’s progress since Brisbane.

“I’ve just floated through with him,” Dunn said. “I don’t do a huge amount with him but he’s held his condition well. He’s the same weight and while it’s hard to say he’s improved, if he can reproduce what he did up there he’s going to be right in the race.

“I’m sure his eventual place isn’t up front leading. His place will be box seating or coming from midfield with a rush. That’s when we’ll see the best of him.”

Dunn described Legendary Luke’s last start third over 1350m at Doomben on February 13 as “probably the best run of his career.

“He made good ground against track bias on the day. He’s improved since and should be right at his peak on Sunday. He’s the one that has been set for this race all along.”

Carton, a last start winner at the Gold Coast, will again be ridden back.

“It was strong win last time when we rode him back. He was very effective when ridden off the speed,” Dunn said. He’ll get back and rush late.”

Dunn has decided to fit blinkers back to the gear Buckin The Blues will carry.

“At his best he’s very good. At his worst he’s horrible,” Dunn added.