By Ray Hickson
A “hiccup” that cost promising mare Scripted a trip to Sydney could prove a blessing in disguise as she leads trainer Matthew Dunn’s bid for a third consecutive $150,000 Evergreen Turf Northern Rivers Country Championships (1400m).
Though Dunn’s contingent for the feature at Coffs Harbour was cut to six due to Without Parallel having to be withdrawn, Dunn feels he has a horse in Scripted that could go all the way.
Trainer Matthew Dunn.Credit: Getty Images
As the mare was being prepared to travel to Randwick last week an elevated inflammatory marker found during routine stable testing of horses headed for the road meant she stayed home.
Dunn said it was “just a little hiccup” and a couple of days later her readings returned to normal and he refocused on the Country Championships.
“It ended up being nothing and that happens sometimes with these tests,” Dunn said.
“She hasn’t missed a beat, she’s done everything right all the way through.
“She didn’t miss any work, didn’t spike any temperature and it’s fair to say she should nearly have won every start this prep.”
The Murwillumbah trainer has won the past two Northern Rivers Championships with Tribeca Star, who was successful at Grafton in 2024 and Lismore last year, and it’s now been six years since Gracie Belle gave him a win in the Final.
He said the likes of Arctic Legend, Kingdom Underseige, Considered, Yendy and Moscow Circus will get their chance and any would be a deserved winner but he has to consider Scripted his top seed.
The four-year-old was a victim of having to concede a big start from a poor barrier in the $1m Magic Millions Fillies and Mares, where she started $7.50 and charged home late to be beaten 23⁄4 lengths.
Ultimately he hopes she, and all his runners, gets every chance.
“On Magic Millions Day she drew a crummy gate and went back and if she gets space on straightening she probably rips home and just about beats them,” Dunn said.
“These races are generally run at high speed and that may not be the case this year because most of them are mine and I don’t ever instruct any jockey to go out at a ridiculous speed.
“There’s a couple in the race that will appreciate speed and a couple that appreciate a softer tempo.”
Dunn is bringing jockey Nash Rawiller to Coffs Harbour to partner last-start Highway winner Kingdom Underseige in his bid to make it four wins on end this preparation.
And in some ways he’s pleased he has imported the leading Sydney rider as the gelding will jump from the outside gate.
“It might not be the end of the world and Nash is really good with the wide gates,” Dunn said.
“Even if you get in to the three- or four-wide line he lets them find a rhythm and build momentum.
“He’s done a really good job this prep, he’s come back a different horse and all of his runs have been perfect.”
Considered is also bringing a Highway win into her Championships bid and Dunn said if the race remains at Coffs Harbour on a wet track she’s going to be advantaged.
The mare was Dunn’s apprentice Jett Newman’s first Sydney winner when she scored at Rosehill a month ago, Andrew Mallyon will ride Considered while Newman partners stablemate Moscow Circus.
“She’s a swimmer and she’ll skip through the ground really well,” he said.
“She was good in Sydney, she beat those horses as you’d hope at Highway level going into Country Championships so she’s in it up to her ears.”
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