Training caper is tough but Jeff Dunn is no quitter

By Glenn Davis

Beaudesert’s Jeff Dunn admits the training caper is a difficult profession but the rewards keep enticing him to continue.

Dunn has a team of 14 horses in work at a property he and his partner, jockey Rikki Jamieson, rent at Beaudesert.

Dunn has trained one metropolitan winner since taking out his trainer’s licence five years ago.

His city success was with Glass Of Rose who claimed a two-year-old race at Eagle Farm in February last year.

Dunn had a dream of winning a $1 million race with Glass Of Rose but she could only manage tenth to Boom Torque in the Magic Millions QTIS race at the Gold Coast last month.

Glass Of Rose was entered for Ipswich on Thursday but Dunn has decided to scratch her and will rely on More Love in the Maiden Handicap over 1350 metres.

More Love is a four-year-old daughter of Dream Ahead and has started only four times for two seconds.

She is coming off a first-up fourth to the David Vandyke-trained Ellibaby in a 1200 metre maiden at Doomben on January 24.

“I was happy with her last run and she trialled well leading into it,” Dunn said.

“She’s a very good chance and hopefully she can win.”

Dunn has had success with four winners from his past 50 starters but is hoping More Love can snap a 15-run losing streak.

Dunn’s last winner was with Bader at Beaudesert on December 30.

Before he started training, Dunn worked as a personal trainer.

"I was a personal trainer for about 10 years and I once worked for Outback Spectacular at the Gold Coast," he said.

“Anatomically, the human body is very similar to horses.

“When I was a kid, I rode stock horses and my family bought a thoroughbred property at Beaudesert.

"I found I was spending a lot of time in racing and not as much in personal training, so I took up training horses.

"I've considered not training a few times as it was very hard when I first started off not knowing anyone in the racing industry but I've got no plans to stop as I've just brought a 26 acre property at Beaudesert which we hope to move into soon."