Nunn eyeing more Queensland success before Tassie return

By Jordan Gerrans

Aiden Nunn’s mooted permanent move to the Sunshine State has been shelved, but the travelling horseman is hopeful he can snag another victory with Agadoo before he returns to Tasmania.

Nunn has shared his time between Beaudesert in Queensland and Tasmania in recent years as he has prepared a small team of gallopers while also competing in polocrosse and raising a young family.

The 38-year-old was set to establish himself long-term at Beaudesert, before a change in plans around his wife’s employment future directed the family back towards Tasmania.

They will head south at the start of next month with plans of targeting Agadoo, who scored at the Gold Coast on Saturday, towards their local carnival.

Agadoo won over 1400 metres on Saturday to break her maiden at her 11th attempt.

The daughter of Capitalist had been racing in city company in recent starts and found a suitable winning race to land her first win.

“She was definitely overdue,” Nunn said.

“The ability she’s shown at home and some of the horses that she’s chased down in previous races have been quite handy.

“Even the level she was racing at back in Tassie, she had been close to Listed winners down there.

“She still had to work for it on the weekend. That horse had skipped along in front, but she managed to get the job done, which was good.

“If she can snag another win and boost her rating, it’s just a matter of getting into some nice races with her.”

Starting as the $2.45 favourite, Agadoo ground out a victory in the concluding stages.

The four-year-old mare finished in the first five in four straight city starts before dropping back to provincial level and winning well on Saturday.

It was the first time she had been tested over 1400 metres, with Nunn thinking she will eventually get a mile.

“She hadn’t really showed me that she was ready to get any further until the last couple of runs,” he said.

“And, then, obviously we were testing her at the 1400 metres and she got it pretty easy.

“Her mother never raced beyond 1400 metres, which I had in the back of my mind, but she obviously has shown she might even get a fraction further, which will be beneficial for her with her turn of foot.

“We’ll test her at the mile and see how she goes.”

Agadoo’s mother that Nunn references is Hold The Line, who was prepared by top Caloundra mentor David Vandyke.

Agadoo is likely to return to the city ranks in Queensland for another run or two before targeting higher honours during the Tasmanian carnival early in 2027.

“I’d love to get a metro win beside her name,” he said.

“It will add a bit of value to her later on if she becomes a broodmare. But, I think she’s definitely got a good metro win in her. She’s showed me enough.

“And, of course, as she’s raced against some good horses, she’s not far off that mark.

"She did get it done on Saturday and hopefully she gets some good confidence out of that.

“Ryan Wiggins rode her on Saturday and he said a Class 1 in town would be right up her alley.

“Condition-wise, she’s getting better, she’s bigger and stronger and she hasn’t lost a kilo.”

As well as Agadoo, Nunn prepares two other untried youngsters that he is working towards their debuts.

The horseman is best known in Queensland for the deeds of former consistent stayer Hype, who was a two-time winner of the Mackay Cup while also claiming a Rockhampton Cup.

Hype retired with eight victories to his name and $433,141 in career stakes in August of last year.