Midnight Diamond headlines Team Dunn's chances at Addington tonight

By Michael Guerin

John Dunn has already had the highlight of his working week but wouldn’t mind another one at Addington tonight.

And he thinks Midnight Diamond can provide that even off a 20m handicap in the $30,000 Aotea Electric Silk Road Final for the trotting mares (7.49pm). 

The mare was dynamic winning her first start for Team Dunn last Friday but even if she wins by five lengths tonight she won’t be the most fun Dunn has had in the sulky this week.

Because the family stable star and arguably New Zealand’s most exciting horse Got The Chocolates is back in work and has his second hoppled run for this campaign down the beach on Tuesday.

“He feels great,” enthuses Dunn.

“I think that trip to Auckland really made him and while it is only early in this campaign we couldn’t be happier.

“So all going well he will be ready to be back on track at the end of August.”

Tonight’s fare at Addington won’t be quite so tasty but Midnight Diamond is an exciting trotter who has transferred to the Dunns to take advantage of the straight beach training.

She started her career in great form with Ross Houghton and Dunn says he thinks the ready-made mare they inherited has plenty more in store.

“She has real speed, especially for this grade,” he says.

“I don’t usually like horses off 20 handicaps in these type of races but she is better off driven to use that speed so it might actually suit her coming from midfield.”

The stable’s set-up has obvious links to one of the prime dangers in Four Wise Woman, who was also a Silk Road heat winner and is trained by Dunn’s in-laws Craig and Aimee Edmonds.

“She is going really well too but I’d say Midnight Diamond was just the better chance,” is Dunn’s best estimate for punters tonight.

While the runaway premiership leaders don’t have as big a team in tonight as they have had at some recent Addington meetings Dunn does suggest punters follow Wishing For U against stablemate Normie Stead in the last race.

“He is a nice horse in this grade and will be hard to beat.”

One of the other features tonight sees the return of Bettors Anvil against stablemate Tact Teva, Trump Card and Amaretto Franco in a race (8.25pm) that should carry its form line relevance into the warmer months.