Brother John a leading Timaru hope

By Jonny Turner

Due reward awaits Brother John and trainers Geoff and James Dunn at Timaru on Sunday.

Two weeks in a row the pacer fronted up at Addington and tried hard only to be caught late by the in-form Kiwi X Factor.

With no Kiwi X Factor to take on in race 6, the four-year-old looks well placed to be rewarded for his strong recent efforts.

“He has just been loving life at the moment, I don’t know why but he is enjoying it,” Geoff Dunn said.

“You can drive him as hard as you can and he just keeps on going.”

“All three of our horses are really well and hopefully we are in for a good day.”

Brother John opened the $2.70 fixed odds favourite for race 6, ahead of The Conqueror ($5).

The Dunn stable line up another in form runner in El Dorado in race 8.

The pacer is one-from-one from a standing start, but hasn’t been behind the tapes recently.

That’s the only concern his trainers have going into his 2600m assignment.

“We haven’t run him from a stand yet and we haven’t given him a stand trial, but he has won a stand for another trainer.”

“We have given him practice at home and he seems like he is in a really good space.”

“I actually think he might suit the stands more because he is not great out of the mobile because he always seems to get back.”

“Maybe if he can step from a stand – we are really happy with him – there is a little question mark but he seems like quite a well mannered horse.”

El Dorado has been rated the $5.50 third favourite in early fixed odds markets behind Invaluable ($3.20) and Uncle Chan ($5).

The Dunn camp also start the consistent Tiebreaker in race 1.

Though he starts from the outside of the front line in barrier 9, the pacer looks well placed.

“He’s got Jordy drawn inside him and he goes pretty good, so he is going to have to make his own luck, but he seems well.”

Tiebreaker was rated the $2.70 early fixed odds favourite for race 1 ahead of his main rival and second favourite, Jordy ($5).