The Matthew Dunn-trained Impasse heads to Rosehill bidding for back-to-back wins.
It is said a change is as good as a holiday and for six-year-old gelding Impasse, relocating to Matt Dunn’s Sydney stable appears to be the perfect tonic.
Formerly prepared from the trainer’s rural base in the NSW northern rivers town of Murwillumbah, Impasse has been part of the Sydney team this preparation and surprised Dunn on resumption when he motored home to score over 1300 metres at Hawkesbury.
“He tricked me because I didn’t think he was anywhere near ready for that. He got the right run, but in saying that, he was on the worst part of the track,” Dunn said.
“He is obviously enjoying the Sydney environment.
“He had a few preps with me at home and raced well but nowhere near that, that was probably a personal best for him.”
Impasse steps up to benchmark 88 grade in Saturday’s XXXX Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill and with the claim of apprentice Campbell Rawiller will carry 55kg.
He traditionally performs well second up with two wins and two placings from five attempts and Dunn says the horse has continued to thrive between runs.
Rawiller, the son of top jockey Nash, is chasing his first metropolitan win since moving to Sydney and Dunn is happy to give him an opportunity while the top jockeys are in Brisbane for the winter carnival.
“He’s got the right pedigree,” Dunn said.
“He rides pretty well and there’s a bit of an attraction there with the claim, especially now that everybody has left town.”
