Dunns star with big double at Addington

By Michael Guerin

Rarely in their wonderful last decade have Team Dunn reached the heights they are flying at now.

There were times when Sundees Son was the best trotter in Australasia when anything seemed possible, and nights two years ago when five and six win bags over winter at Addington became the norm.

And the red, black and white army have had a remarkable capacity to produce good horses, Cup horses, moulded out of hard racing, that have probably out raced their ability.

But nothing like now.

The current work from Robert, Jenna, John and their staff is their best ever.

Led by Got The Chocolates they have competitive chances in most major races and at Addington on Friday night they grabbed two more.

It’s Tough was just that overcoming a 30m handicap to win the $100,000 Hydroflow Country Cups Championship while Travel Agent became a Group 1 winner at just his fourth start in the Welcome Stakes.

It’s Tough’s win was that of a pacer who can book his stall at Addington for Cup Day now as he may be in the 10 best horses in the country and with so much upside to come.

He managed to win on Friday night even when John Dunn’s daring mid-race move didn’t pay off. He hoped to sweep to the front with a lightning move but Carter Dalgety on Franco Sinatra saw him coming so all Dunn ended up doing was burning for 200m to get parked.

“Once that didn't come off mid race it was always going to be hard and he was out on his feet at the 400m,” says Dunn.

“But to his credit he kept coming and he is a very good horse.

“So he deserves his shot at the Cup.”

Which will almost certainly mean finding a new driver, with John bolted on to Got The Chocolates, that story in the “To Be Continued” queue until the spring. 

Earlier in the night Travel Agent continued the wonderful record of dam Pacing Delight  when he won an early speed battle and ultimately the $100,000 Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes.

He showed how much his recent trip to Invercargill has matured him by staying smooth and willing early for driver Dunn, who then had to give the “no way’ head shake when Blair Orange came looking for the lead with Chiggsy.

That proved the winning of the race as Travel Agent just held out the very brave Chiggsy at the line, the pair putting a gap on opening favourite Roger That.

While Travel Agent is only just starting his career he is now a Group 1 winner to add to the record of Pacing Delight, who has now left seven individual winners from her only seven foals to race.

Pacing Delight, who has a weanling full sister to Travel Agent, is a daughter of Pacing Grace who herself left eight individual winners while her dam Jessie Grace left an incredible 10 individual winners. 

The win caps an amazing month for Travel Agent’s owners the Gordons with the promise of a massive back end to 2026 with this boy and stablemate Got The Chocolates. And with Team Dunn having plenty of potential big race targets to circle on the calendar.