By Glenn Davis
Trainer Matt Dunn is hoping Zamex can bring his successful NSW Country Cups form to the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Zamex will be ridden by Mark Du Plessis in the Marcoola Surf Club Open Handicap (1400m).
Zamex won two Highway Handicaps at Rosehill in June last year but did not win again until successful in a Benchmark race at Ipswich 12 months later.
The five-year-old gelding has won two of his last three starts on the NSW Country Cups circuit after taking out the McLean Cup in July and the Murwillumbah Cup on his home track last month.
The son of Cheval De Troy blotted his Country Cups run when he could manage only sixth to the Peter and Will Hulbert-trained Glitra in the Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) on August 24.
“He got too far back in the Coffs Cup but he raced well enough to win,” Dunn said.
Dunn is hoping there will be a lot more pace at the Sunshine Coast and is confident the roomier track will be to Zamex’s advantage.
“He finds Doomben too small but he’ll be suited a lot more at the bigger Caloundra track,” Dunn said.
“He should run very well so long as there’s a bit of pace on and 1400 metres suits him.
“His work this week has been very sharp.”
Meanwhile Dunn will roll the dice and start Divine Unicorn in the Group 3 Foundation Cup (2000m) at Caulfield the same day.
Dunn was devastated when Divine Unicorn drew barrier 20.
“The draw is not ideal and it's very disappointing but I’ll just have to roll the dice and run him,” Dunn said.
“He has to win this race to get into the Caulfield Cup so it’s going to have to be a brilliant ride to win.
“I have him nominated for Moonee Valley on Friday night but I don’t think he’d be suited by the track.”
Divine Unicorn won the G3 Tattersall’s Cup during the Brisbane winter carnival before making a brilliant winning return at the Sunshine Coast on August 25.
The five-year-old then headed south finishing a game fourth to Moss ‘N’ Dale over 1600 metres at Moonee Valley earlier this month.
Divine Unicorn was bred in Europe with the intention of racing in Hong Kong but his owner, who lives in Hong Kong, decided to campaign him in Australia first to help him acclimatise.
The gelding was sent to Melbourne in a bid to improve his rating for the Hong Kong international meeting in December.
Racing Queensland webnews September 19