Racing: Dunn opts to drive Matt Maguire

Dexter Dunn has opted to drive Matt Maguire in the group two $40,000 Flying Stakes for 3yr-olds at Addington on Saturday.

Dunn has driven the Cran Dalgety stablemate and race rival Empyrean in all but the last of his 20 starts.

Empyrean will be driven for the first time by Mark Jones. Anthony Butt drove the colt when he was seventh at Rangiora on May 8 at his last start. Butt will drive Anvils Top Gun in the Flying Stakes. Dunn drove the gelding to a last-start win at Ascot Park on April 30.

Empyrean was last successful five starts ago at Motukarara. He has won eight races and been placed five times.

Matt Maguire has not won since Rangiora on March 23 - four starts back. He has been driven in his last two races by Ken Barron, who is behind his stable runner, Night Of The Stars, in the Flying Stakes.

Dunn has driven Matt Maguire in six of his seven wins from 24 starts.

Ricky May drove him in his other win.

May has the drive on the Ken Barron-trained Chancellor Cullen in the $250,000 Yearling Sales Final for 2yr-olds. Chancellor Cullen has been driven in his six starts for a win and three seconds by Anthony Butt, who was to have driven Raging Bull, who has not been working to the satisfaction of trainer Cran Dalgety.

Dalgety hopes to have Raging Bull back on track for the group one $180,000 Sires' Stakes Final at Addington tomorrow week.

Western Cullen, an impressive last-start winner over his Purdon-Payne stablemate Alberto Contador, will be driven for the first time by stable reinsman Blair Orange. Butt drove him for a first-start third and Craig Thornley drove him in his other start.

 

 

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