Australian Racing: Dunn charge looking good at Grafton

The only meeting of the day on Monday is at Grafton where a soft 6 track is expected and we have three selections from that nine-race card.

Race 6 Grafton

Saxinoue @ 3.40

Race 8 Grafton

Second Sun @ 3.60

Race 1 Grafton

King's Warrior @ 2.10

Saxinoue to record second win

Nine races are scheduled at Grafton, with the sixth contest a 1410m Benchmark 58 handicap event.

Owen Glue is set to saddle Hardley Grey, with the gelding expected to have his supporter having registered top three finishes in three of his last four starts.

The exception came when beaten just over one-and-a-half-lengths in finishing fifth in a similar race to this over 1400m here earlier this month.

The six-year-old raced on a good 3 track that day and the return to a wet surface is no issue.

While the son of Instinction has recorded a number of good, placed efforts in 2024 he has just one win to his name this year and is likely to find at least one too good.

Matthew Dunn’s lightly raced gelding SAXINOUE is the pick here, with the gelding having shown ability when fourth at Murwillumbah on debut in May.

The three-year-old duly broke through for his first victory when saluting by nearly three lengths in a 1200m maiden at the same venue the following month.

Both of those efforts came on heavy tracks, with the youngster spelled following that maiden victory.

The 3.40 son of Saxon Warrior delivered a couple of good second-place finishes in barrier trials prior to resuming with a fourth over 1181m here last month.

The selection is expected to have improved for that return effort and, stepping up in distance, he is taken to double his career tally wearing blinkers for the first time.

Mallyon and Sun to shine

The Matthew Dunn stable also look to hold strong claims in the penultimate race on the card, a 1610m Class 2 handicap.

They are represented by Desert Mist, with the gelding having placed third over 1430m in a Class 2 handicap here on his penultimate start.

The five-year-old went on to finish fourth in a Benchmark 58 handicap over 1400m here subsequently and he steps up in distance here.

Apprentice Claire Ramsbotham takes a valuable three kilograms off the gelding’s back and he holds obvious claims despite a wide barrier.

SECOND SUN is preferred here, however, having demonstrated good form in five starts in Queensland so far.

The gelding’s sole win from those start came when getting home by a narrow margin in a 1700m maiden at Ipswich at the end of May.

The 3.60 selection raced on a soft 6 track that day and he has placed at metro level on both starts since returning from a spell.

The first of those efforts saw him beaten just over two lengths in a 1350m Clas 1 handicap held on a soft 5 track at Doomben.

The pick again encountered a soft 5 surface when beaten less than half-a-length into second in a 1600m Benchmark 62 handicap at the same venue.

Andrew Mallyon is set to ride the gelding for the first time and he is taken to steer the son of The Autumn Sun to victory.

Warrior to rule in Grafton opener

The card opens with a 1710m maiden handicap event with KING'S WARRIOR taken to break his maiden at the second attempt.

Trained by Michael Morrison, the colt trialled well ahead of his racecourse debut including when winning a 1050m barrier trail at Beaudesert last month.

The 2.10 pick debuted in a maiden held over this distance on a good 4 track at Ipswich earlier this month.

While the three-year-old was beaten over two lengths that day, he delivered a promising effort in finishing fourth in a seven-runner contest.

Anthony Allen’s mount is expected to have improved for that effort and, wearing blinkers for the first time, he is selected to break through for his first victory.