Here is an extract from my latest article on some of Australia's most astute smaller training operations. Read the full article in the upcoming edition of PPM... The devastating win of Qfighter, a hulking grey 2yo who destroyed them on debut over 900m at the Gold Coast (19th May), is just one example of the steady flow of winners emanating from the Matthew Dunn stable. Based at Murwillumbah nudging the Queensland border, Dunn is another young trainer on the rise, having learnt much of his craft

Here is an extract from my latest article on some of Australia's most astute smaller training operations. Read the full article in the upcoming edition of PPM...

The devastating win of Qfighter, a hulking grey 2yo who destroyed them on debut over 900m at the Gold Coast (19th May), is just one example of the steady flow of winners emanating from the Matthew Dunn stable. Based at Murwillumbah nudging the Queensland border, Dunn is another young trainer on the rise, having learnt much of his craft under the tutelage of Gerald Ryan. Ryan himself is held in high regard as one of the best trainers of 2yo's, as well as an excellent judge of a yearling, and it appears both of these qualities have rubbed off on his one-time employee. Dunn has assembled quite a large and formidable team for a 'lesser known' trainer, but the investments have borne good results. Qfighter was backed off the map at the Gold Coast when hammered in from 4's to a prohibitive $1.60, indicative not only of a stable most confident in their horses, but of one able to keep a secret... It would have been all too easy to let slip that the team had such a nice 2yo working the house down at home, but the fact that the bagmen opened Qfighter at such an appealing price suggests that this is a stable the punters might be able to extract maximum value from.

As well as his grey flying machine - who could certainly prove one for the future - Dunn has plenty of other quality horseflesh to work with, among it the Group class filly Hidden Jewel and the well-performed former Sydney galloper Dusty Gold. This season Dunn has reeled off 48 winners (at predominately sprinting trips) at an excellent strike rate of 19% (having been striking at 23% until December), with a small profit on turnover of 3.3% rewarding followers of the yard. Given the head trainer's relative youth and apparent talent, the Dunn stable will almost certainly continue to build on these impressive stats and can be a punters pal for many years to come.

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