Racing: Prodigal daughter returns home

Robert Dunn has July 1 firmly marked in his mind for one important reason - the arrival back on his Christchurch property of champion pacing filly Mainland Banner.

Dunn has trained a number of outstanding equine athletes throughout his career but none that possess the stamina, class and all round brilliance of Mainland Banner.

The 3-year-old was purchased for a hefty, six-figure sum last November by Dunn for prominent stable owner Ian Dobson.

Mainland Banner justified that purchase price with a superlative performance to win the $100,000 Wayne Francis Memorial New Zealand Oaks (Group One) at Addington Raceway last month.

Mainland Banner suffered her only career defeat in eight starts a week after the New Zealand Oaks when narrowly beaten by Molly Darling in the $100,000 Nevele R Fillies Series Final.

"There's not a lot to look forward to during the winter time down here in Christchurch as it can be hard to get motivated to get out of bed in the morning to train racehorses," said Dunn.

"I really can't wait to see how Mainland Banner has done since she's had a six-week break from training after those two tough back-to-back races last month.

"She was pretty tired after finishing second to Molly Darling in the Nevele R Fillies Series final and, in hindsight, I think the tough run she had the previous week when winning the New Zealand Oaks really took its toll on her.

"What a lot of people, including myself, forgot was that she's only had eight race starts and has gone from racing against maiden horses in December to defeating the best 3-year-old fillies in the country in May.

"That's a really tough campaign for any athlete when you consider it's her first season competing as a racehorse. I think she is a champion and she has the potential to handle anything I throw her way next season.

"I think enough of her to consider a shot at the New Zealand Cup in November, even though it means taking on a champion Free-For-All horse like Elsu.

"I'm in no rush with her when she comes back into training as she'll just train down to a stopwatch on my training track then I'll look at kicking off her new campaign in October.

"I'm keen on racing her in the Superstar Series at Addington then it'll be a matter of assessing where we go afterwards. The Ladyship Stakes at Harold Park, Sydney in November is one race I'm very keen on. It's a $100,000 race and is strictly for fillies and mares. It's a sprint event, which is ideal for her."

Dunn is a conservative judge of equine athletes and admits to a "soft spot" for former stable star Master Musician. But he freely admits Mainland Banner has the pacing gait and all round brilliance to achieve superstar status.

"After training a racehorse like Master Musician, you get to a point in your life when you think you'll be lucky to train another champion.

"I think this filly has the potential to achieve anything on the racetrack, as long as we're smart with our racing options with her.

"The advantage next season is that she will come back into the handicapping system assessed as a three-win horse and she can have some easy races before we look at taking on the top racehorses.

"This filly really shocks me every time we take her to a racetrack for a race or trial run. She works like an average maiden horse here at home on the training track.

"We can't get her to run any really flash times on a stopwatch but that's the way she likes to be conditioned and trained. She tends to save herself for the big occasion.

"I think her sire, Christian Cullen, is most probably one of the greatest Free-For-All racehorses I have ever seen compete on a racetrack here in New Zealand. When you watched Christian Cullen race, it was staggering at how much speed and stamina he had and those traits are prominent in his progeny as they're very athletic and robust racehorses."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY