Matthew Dunn’s solid team at Ipswich

Murwillumbah-based Matthew Dunn has no hesitation in travelling his horses north or south and it is a last start Highway placegetter who can go one better at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Impendor finished second to the promising Petticoat at Randwick over 1000-metres in the TAB Highway on November 4, with the winner posting a respectable Racing and Sports rain 96.

That race has delivered three winners and four placings in nine starters since which bolsters Matthew Dunn’s thinking that the five-year-old gelding is a genuine chance on the midweek card second-up.

“I don’t usually take horses to Highways first-up but we decided that because it was a short race that we’d give it a crack,” Dunn said.

“He was good and in all reality he probably isn’t a 1000m while the winner was pretty sharp. He was excellent up on the speed which surprised me a bit, and he was courageous late.

“The field got to him at the 200 (metre mark) and he stuck on.

“There was good depth to that Highway, a strong one, and he’s done well since.”

Impendor is rated a $4.60 chance in the Racing Hearts Class 3 Handicap (1100m) and won at Ipswich second-up over 1240m in April.

Think Like Paddy ($8.50) takes on the Tempus Two Benchmark 65 Handicap (1350m) and Dunn says that this race is a starting point for the summer campaign with the four-year-old likely to need further.

“He did really good things in his first prep,” Dunn said with reference to runs like his fourth placing in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) last June.

“He’s carrying 30-kilos more than when he came to me (from Danny O’Brien’s stable) last preparation. He was a bit wiry.

In the opening event, Dunn saddles stable newcomer Artie Lady ($15) and Herald Angel ($7).

“I think Artie Lady’s form in Victoria has been good enough and her trials have been encouraging,” Dunn said.

The ‘difficult’ Rose Noir ($13) will be looking to improve on her record of two wins and seven placings in 15 starts.