Two in-form horses who formed part of a recent four-win haul for Dwayne Dunn headline his book of eight rides at Flemington on the Creswick Stakes program.
Dunn will ride the favourite, Bam’s On Fire, in Saturday’s Listed Creswick Stakes (1200m), while he starts the program aboard the Tony McEvoy-trained two-year-old The Astrologist.
At Caulfield on June 1, Dunn steered The Astrologist and Bam’s On Fire to victory along with Dogmatic and Silent Roar.
Since being gelded ahead of this campaign, The Astrologist has won a 1200m-maiden at Cranbourne last month before edging out the Danny O’Brien-trained Can’t Be Done at Caulfield over the same distance.
Can’t Be Done has franked the form by winning at Sandown last Saturday.
The Astrologist steps up to 1400m for the first time in the Gippsland Region Handicap chasing a hat-trick in what will be the latest test for the gelding who has drawn wide in a big field and will be giving weight to his rivals.
Dunn said The Astrologist was still a little immature mentally and learning his craft but was taking each step up this campaign.
“Hopefully he can get to a Guineas or something like that later on,” Dunn said.
“I feel that 1400 metres to a mile will be his optimum trip when he gets there, so hopefully it is now.
“He has drawn wide but that gives us an option to probably just slide forward. He doesn’t have to be the leader. He only led last start because it was half gifted to us.
“And that form has really stood up.”
The Astrologist is one of seven last-start winners in Saturday’s race which is a heat of the Taj Rossi Series, with the final over 1600m two weeks later.
In-form filly Bam’s On Fire heads the market for the Listed Creswick Stakes having won three from three this campaign.
“It was a good win at Caulfield last start and if she brings that to the races she’s going to be hard to beat again,” Dunn said.
