By Glenn Davis
Trainer Matt Dunn will be disappointed if The Fire Trap doesn’t end a 15-month losing streak when the four-year-old tackles the Class Four Plate at Ipswich on Thursday.
Dunn, who also saddles up Bonanova’s Dream in the Class One Handicap (1350m), has always had a big opinion of The Fire Trap.
The son of Sizzling won three races as a two-year-old including his latest victory in a 1400-metre win at Rosehill in July last year.
Although he went winless as a three-year-old including failures in the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Doomben and Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast, Dunn has defended his recent record.
“He has been a bit disappointing but he has had some reasonable excuses and a few things didn’t come off,” Dunn said.
“I was going to start him at Eagle Farm last Saturday but the track was too firm so I scratched him then it rained later.
“He had a few problems and got sick at one stage but he seems to have come back well this time.
“From barrier one, I don’t think they will get anywhere near him and he’ll have blinkers on for the first time.”
Dunn believes a win will be a massive confidence booster for The Fire Trap who will then target the Magic Millions carnival in January.
“He needs a win to get his confidence up,” Dunn said.
“He fits the mould to aim for the QTIS race on Magic Millions day in January and he has enough prizemoney to get into that race now.”
The Fire Trap pleased Dunn when he ran second in his first run back this campaign at Doomben on September 14 before a last start seventh to the Tony Gollan-trained Macewen in a 1200-metre Class Three at Eagle Farm on October 5.
Dunn also is confident Bonanova’s Dream will prove hard to beat in the mare’s second start for the stable.
The four-year-old made her stable debut finishing third to the Tony and Maddy Sears-trained Flaming Boss in an 1100-metre Class One at Ipswich on October 2.
“Her first run for me was pretty good but she’s only lightly framed that’s why her races are well spaced,” Dunn said.
“She’s exceptionally well bred and this looks the right race for her.”
Bonanova’s Dream is by champion sire Redoute’s Choice out of the Group 1 winning mare Bonanova.
Bonanova was trained by Graeme Begg and won more than $1 million in prizemoney including the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in 2009.
Racing Queensland webnews October 23