Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Rainbow Connection has placed twice since his debut victory and will look to double his winning tally for trainer Matthew Dunn in Saturday’s G3 Blacktown Workers’ Club Group Hawkesbury Guineas.
He was purchased by Dunn and agent Neil Jenkinson for $150,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he was offered through Element Hill’s draft.
Since then, Rainbow Connection’s half-brother Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) has risen to star status in Hong Kong where he has suffered a lone defeat in 18 outings and has collected four Group 1 titles on the bounce.
“We wouldn’t have bought him for what we did if Golden Sixty had been racing so it’s looking pretty good for us,” Dunn said.
“We wouldn’t have bought him (Rainbow Connection) for what we did if Golden Sixty had been racing so it’s looking pretty good for us.” – Matthew Dunn
They are sons of Gaudeamus (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}), who won the G2 Leopardstown Debutante S. and the Listed Woodpark & Ballysheehan Studs’ S.
She is from the family of the former Champion European Filly Bosra Sham (USA) (Woodman {USA}) and her brother and Group 1 winner and sire Hector Protector (USA).
There is also Australian form within the ranks through the G2 Carlyon S. winner Vocabulary (Encosta De Lago), also runner-up at Group 1 level in the CF Orr S. and Futurity S.
Rainbow Connection won at his first time out on the Kensington track last month before he finished third at Warwick Farm and filled a similar position in the Listed South Pacific Classic at Randwick.
“He’s doing a really good job and he’s a really nice horse in the making. He’s only in his first racing preparation and he’s got to a pretty decent level,” Dunn said.
“He’s a really easy horse and just does his work and eats his food. He’s no trouble and has been very straightforward.”
Best yet to come
Dunn has been delighted by the 3-year-old’s early progress and believes he will continue to develop.
“I think we’ll see the best of him in the spring. He’ll go around on Saturday and then probably give him a break and maybe we’ll look at something like the Golden Eagle,” he said.
Dunn will also be represented at Hawkesbury by Snitz (Snitzel) in the Listed Hawkesbury XXXX Gold Rush, Sagacious (Foxwedge) in the Living Turf BM78 H. and Impasse (Sepoy) in the Happy 70th Birthday Evelyn BM78 H., but rates Rainbow Connection as his best of the day.
“At the moment, he looks like he’s going to be the star of the show for sure. It’s just that he’s got here so quickly after winning his maiden to shaping up against some pretty good horses,” Dunn said.
“At the moment, he (Rainbow Connection) looks like he’s going to be the star of the show for sure." - Matthew Dunn
“At his last run he got into a bumping duel with another horse for most of the straight. He picked himself up to ran third and for inexperienced horses like him that’s a hard thing to do.”
Matthew Dunn
Rainbow Connection has put together a tidy record, despite jumping from wide gates on each occasion and that trend has unfortunately continued on Saturday, being handed barrier nine.
“It would be nice to see him draw an inside gate so we can ride him properly and get in the box seat. Every start we’ve tried to get him to relax and we’ve achieved that,” Dunn said.
“On Saturday, we’ll probably let him roll forward and hopefully sit in the first three or four.”
