Matthew Dunn’s alternative schedule for Zamex has gone to plan with the gelding set to return north regardless of whether he wins back-to-back Highway Handicaps at Rosehill.
Originally aimed the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m), Zamex’s program was revised when the race meeting was switched from Eagle Farm to Doomben.
Zamex instead ran in a 1400m-Highway race on June 3 and is aiming at his second win this preparation and fourth overall when he runs over 1500m on Saturday.
“He was originally going to the Guineas but we rejigged his program and took advantage of the Highway races,” Dunn said.
“He’s certainly got a good future. He’s a nice horse and he’s going somewhere, probably next time.”
The Murwillumbah-based Dunn and Canberra’s Matt Dale are the most successful trainers of the Highway races for country-trained horses with the latter one in front after Clipper’s win last Saturday took him to nine.
Dunn, who wants Zamex to tackle the Group Three Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) on July 1, was so impressed with his last start he drew comparisons to stablemate Quatronic.
“I think he’s got a little bit more scope to him than most of them. He’s got as much upside as a horse like Quatronic,” he said.
Quatronic won a Highway race last September and now has seven wins from a dozen starts, including the Listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone last month.
Dunn is looking forward to seeing how Zamex handles a heavy track for the first time and is not perturbed by the outside gate.
“He’s a get-back horse anyway. It’s probably an advantage to him if anything because he’s got a bit of a habit of being a bit slow away.” he said.
“I’d prefer if we were on top of the ground but I think he’ll be OK on it.”
Dunn also has Arrestar in the 2YO Handicap (1350m) and said his ninth at Randwick last month should be disregarded.
“He’s a city winner in Brisbane,” he said.
“He’s got some talent. His run in Sydney was better than it looked. He was stuck deep and wide back in the field and made a bit of a run at the 400.”
