Trainer Matt Dunn believes he may have found the key to getting the much-travelled Manndawi to perform to his best at Doomben.
Manndawi, who has raced in three countries, has won only one race and is a Class 2 horse but Dunn has been forced to run him in the Open Handicap (2040m) on Saturday.
“It is unfortunate because he is racing well. But we have no choice because his rating is so high he is handicapped out of most restricted-class races,” Dunn said.
At his last start Manndawi ran his best race since going to Dunn’s Murwillumbah stable when second to Ingeegoodbe at Doomben over 2040m on August 12.
Ingeebeegoodbe franked the form by winning again at Doomben last week.
“I think we might have found the key to Manndawi in that race. We had been treating him as a one-paced stayer,” Dunn said.
“But he sat on the pace for a long way and showed a good turn of foot. It looks the way to ride him.”
Manndawi is raced by a group which includes the Glenlogan Park Stud and the OTI syndicate which has a close connection with him.
The grey is by Dalakhani out of Mintly Fresh, making him a half-brother to Manighar, the winner of the Group One Australia Cup, Ranvet and BMW Stakes for OTI.
Manndawi was once rated among the most promising stayers in Europe after winning a 2400m maiden and running a close fourth in the Group Three Longines over 2400m in France.
He then ran second in the Group One Prix De Paris at Longchamp.
After a long let-up he returned to racing and was placed at the Curragh in Ireland in stakes company.
Manndawi was brought to Australia in 2015 as a possible Cups horse and ran third to top stayer Almoonqith in that year’s Geelong Cup.
“But since then he hasn’t done too much although he was racing in top Group races,” Dunn said.
“His most recent form before coming to me last year was in races like the Murtoa Cup and Hamilton Cup.
“There is nothing wrong with him. He is just one of those European horses who has taken a long time to acclimatise.”
Manndawi has had three runs for Dunn for two third placings.
Dunn has had success with OTI through another former international, Caillebotte, who won two city staying races in Brisbane for the combination.
