Dunn expects improvement from Sagacious in Queensland Guineas

Photo credit: Bradley Photographers

By Jordan Gerrans 

Murwillumbah trainer Matthew Dunn is ready to forget Sagacious’ last start, declaring he will be a completely different horse come Saturday’s Group 2 Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm.

The new-look TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival officially kicks off its 10 action-packed Saturdays with the Guineas, the Group 2 Victory Stakes and Listed Dalrello Stakes this Saturday afternoon.

When nominations were first released, Dunn looked set to have a strong hand in the mile event for three-year-olds, but will now just take Sagacious to the set weights race.

The son of Foxwedge has four wins from 10 career starts to his name but has been a little disappointing in his two runs back from a break, finishing sixth first-up before being beaten almost 10 lengths at Listed level earlier this month in Sydney.

Dunn, who splits his time between Murwillumbah and Warwick Farm, expects a much improved effort in Sagacious’ first career effort over the border.

“He got stuck on the inside last start, that is not his go, he is a horse that bowls along in front,” Dunn said.

“That is what he has done when he has raced well, either led or been just behind the leader.

“He got hemmed up on the inside and he did not get much of a chance to do much as the leader just dominated the race.

“He will be a different horse next start in the Guineas.”

Sagacious put together a winning run of four from five starts across the back end of 2020 and Dunn plans to progress from the Guineas this Saturday on to the Group 1 Queensland Derby in a months’ time.

“He came along way really quickly last prep when he went from struggling at country and provincial level to winning in town and beating a couple of really nice horses,” Dunn said.

“His two runs back have been good, he was good from a wide gate first-up and his second run back, he looked a little bit plain but he was three pairs back in a slow run race and not much went his way being stuck on the inside.

“The margin there is bigger than what it needed to be, but we have been aiming him on this path for some time, the Guineas and then probably Derby eventually.

“He is a really nice horse; he does not have the pedigree to run over a trip, but he did a good job last prep.”

Sagacious, who is rated a $15 chance with the TAB as of Tuesday afternoon, has won up to 1900m earlier in his career and Dunn thinks Saturday’s mile should suit him perfectly after his 1400-metre second-up assignment.

When nominations were released for Saturday’s Guineas earlier in the week, Dunn had seven from his team nominated.

He quickly explained that it was a clerical error, the horses were nominated six weeks ago and they were meant to be cancelled, with Sagacious always his most likely chance in the $350,000 feature.

Champion trainer Chris Waller has won three of the last four runnings of the Queensland Guineas, with the race not run in 2020 following the scaling back of the winter program due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

Dunn is planning on sending a strong team of horses to the Sunshine State for the Winter Carnival, with Snitz looking towards the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 on May 15 while Lady Banff and Badoosh should also feature prominently.

He also floated the idea of three-year-old Rainbow Connection potentially being planned towards the $1.5 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Rainbow Connection is in for Saturday’s Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) and the gelding could be thrown in the deep end later in the winter.

Click here for full details on the 2021 TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival feature races.