Delightful Feeling adds to trainer Matt Dunn’s Highway haul

That was the message that popped up on Keira Dunn’s phone from husband Matt just seconds after Delightful Feeling gave the stable its fifth Highway win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The Matt Dunn stable has been short on trackwork riders in recent weeks, prompting the former jockey to dust off the saddle and jump back on the horse.

“It took a while for him to fit up but he goes all right,” said Keira, an outstanding trackwork rider in her own right.

“We’ve had a few injuries with our track riders. One girl popped a shoulder out and one girl did a finger. Matt said, ‘I will jump on a couple’, mind you he only takes the quiet ones.

“I’ve already got a message from him saying, ‘that’s one of mine’. He has been riding (Delightful Feeling) in trackwork for about three weeks.”

All jokes aside, Delightful Feeling is giving his owners just what his name suggests. The five-year-old has always shown ability but is now starting to put it together where it counts most.

“He is just flying at the moment and it is fantastic for the owners,” Keira said.

“He had his first start for us and won by about five lengths and he was obviously getting qualified for Hong Kong. He went over there and I don’t think he had a start there.

“He is a highly strung horse and doesn’t settle that well so he came home and he has been unlucky but he has put the last three together.”

Hong Kong’s loss is Dunn’s gain and the victory gave the Murwillumbah trainer his fifth Highway victory, equalling Terry Robinson and Matthew Dale for most wins.

“Now he has put (three wins) together, we will take him back to (city class) and Eagle Farm being back open will suit him,” Keira said.

Matt was quick to claim responsibility for the win post-race but jockey Nick Heywood was just as important. The apprentice put in a perfect rails-hugging ride to guide Delightful Feeling home by 1¼ lengths.

“He is a nice progressive horse and Mr Dunn is doing a great job with him,” Heywood said.

Dunn doubles up again

Ray Thomas

MURWILLUMBAH trainer Matthew Dunn’s simple Sydney Saturday formula has him sending his horses down to Rosehill Gardens on the Wednesday prior, his wife Kiera attends the city meeting, he stays at home — and it keeps working.

Dunn prepared a brace of wins at the Rosehill meeting with a record-equalling fifth TAB Highway Handicap with Delightful Feeling before Madotti resumed with a fast-finishing win in the Roadwork Solutions Handicap (1200m).

This comes after the Dunn stable had a double last month at Canterbury when Delightful Feeling won a TAB Highway and stablemate Flitero took out the Country Classic.

It was Kiera Dunn who had to front the media again at Rosehill on Saturday — a role she is becoming accustomed and accomplished — and she was too humble to acknowledge the stable’s run of success since her husband decided to target the TAB Highways.

But Madotti was Dunn’s seventh Sydney Saturday winner since the trainer won his first TAB Highway with Quatronic less than three months ago.

“I’m not sure how many winners it has been but I hope it keeps going,’’ Kiera Dunn said after Madotti’s winning return. “This is our first win outside of the Highways (and Country Classic).’’

Delightful Feeling was $3.40 favourite and expected to win on Saturday but $7.50 hope Madotti’s successful comeback did catch the stable a little by surprise.

“She didn’t do much in her (barrier) trial and it was a bit of a risk coming down here a bit underdone,’’ Kiera Dunn said. “Matthew had her nominated for Brisbane and ideally that is where we wanted to go with her but with the forecast of rain, he has pulled the right rein sending this mare to Sydney. She was unbelievable today.’’

Madotti, ridden by Tye Angland, ran down Pepperberry ($8) to win by a nose with Magic Alibi ($7) a head away third. Interstellar was sent out the $2.20 favourite but after leading easily into the straight she weakened to run a disappointing fourth.

Dunn said Madotti is likely to be aimed at the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares race on the Gold Coast in January. Madotti is set for her third Magic Millions campaign after running fourth to Le Chef in the 2yo Classic in 2015 before her fifth behind Mahuta in the Guineas earlier this year.