Dwayne Dunn snaps city drought at Sandown

Victory on Gretzsky at Sandown has snapped a lengthy absence from the winner’s circle in Melbourne for high-profile jockey Dwayne Dunn.

Dunn’s victory in Wednesday’s Dream Thoroughbreds Plate (1600m) on the Hawkes Racing-trained gelding was his first win on a Melbourne metropolitan track since Booker’s Group Two Thousand Guineas Prelude success in early October.

“I’ve had a terrible run,” Dunn said.

“Seconds, thirds, suspension. I just missed here last week in a race I thought I had won. So it was good to break that duck.”

In the past month he has had a winning double at Cranbourne on December 29 and snared a winner at the Sunshine Coast earlier that month when he was in Queensland to compete in the Origin Jockeys Series.

“It probably gave me time to work on things, work harder and get back to where you’re at,” Dunn said.

“I’m just never used to being in this situation, so I’ve got some goals to set and some to prove, which is good.”

A multiple Group One-winning rider, Dunn has finished in the top three in the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership the past three seasons.

Gretsky was having his fourth start and first in Melbourne and was forced to work hard for the win after crossing over to take up the running.

He kept fighting in the straight to score by a length.

“They made me work, work, work and I had to get some sort of breather which I was able to from the 800 metres to the 400, but to his credit he dug deep and was solid to the line,” Dunn said.

“The further this horse goes the better he’ll get so he’s got a nice enough future.”