Michael Morrison is hoping to notch a landmark win with Down Under Stunnah.
Twelve starts in a preparation is unusual nowadays but Michael Morrison is hoping his hardy galloper Down Under Stunnah can still deliver at her final run this time in at Ipswich.
Morrison has recently moved his stable from Beaudesert to Ipswich and he is also hopeful that the five-year-old can be the first winner out of his new operation and build on her victory at the track in January in the Living Turf Benchmark 60 Handicap (2180m) on Thursday from barrier two.
“This is her last run for the prep but I think she is well and truly still in good enough order to be going close again,” Morrison said.
The mare stuck on well to finish second by a narrow margin at Ipswich over 2010m on March 6 and followed that up with a fourth placing over 2030m at Doomben on April.
“She probably for a little bit further back that what is preferable,” he said of the metro midweek outing.
“They didn’t go overly quickly so if made things a little bit difficult, but it was a strong midweek race and I think the top four gapped the rest and she was taking a bit of ground off them late.
“We’re back out again in trip and the good thing about a good gate is that she can land in the good spot without having to do any work early and I think with her, she begins well enough but you also don’t want to have her under pressure early.
“The good gate will allow her to land in a good spot without using any petrol where two starts ago at Ipswich, she had to be used a bit to find a spot and I think that probably made the difference late.
Down Under Stunnah, by Under The Louvre, has been the best performed progeny of her dam Stryking Stunnah with two wins and two placings in her 13 starts so far.
Young South African Brandon Lerena who now calls Queensland home has partnered her in eight of her last 10 outings.
“He’s a strong rider and has great hands in terms of being able to get horses to relax,” Morrison said.
“I think that is very important wherever they are settling to be in that rhythm and give late.
“He’s the perfect rider and probably still underutilised up here and that works in our favour because we usually get first call on him.”
Morrison and Lerena have combined for three winners and four placings in 17 runners across Lerena’s past 100 rides.
