Transformed Alta Maestro boosts Easter Cup claims

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Alta Maestro fights hard to score a front-running to win at Addington. Photo: Race Images.

Alta Maestro boosted the already big claims trainer Robert Dunn had ahead of the Easter Cup with a front running-win at Addington on Friday night.

Driver John Dunn dictated race terms in front with the four-year-old and the pair made their rivals pay when Alta Maestro reeled off a 55.5sec last 800m to win.

John Dunn being able to rate a relaxed Alta Maestro in front would have been almost unimaginable judging by the horse’s free-wheeling and hard-running attitude to racing as a two-year-old.

Robert Dunn credited the driver for his work in transforming the pacer.

“Johnny has done a great job at home getting him to relax.”

“He is a great staying horse, he is one of those horses that we knew if we can get him to relax in his races he will be a lovely horse.”

“He has changed the way he is racing, from being up on the steel and wanting to over-race as a two-year-old, to be incredibly relaxed now.”

“We have taken our time dropping him off the gate, even in some of the bigger races we purposely dropped him off the gate, because of his style of racing.”

“To the horse’s credit he has done a hell of a job himself to turn himself around as a race horse.”

Alta Maestro has transformed his racing style so much he is almost too comfortable out on the track.

“He just tends to go in to his own zone now.”

“He was just pricking his ears at the finish tonight and he was still going quite strongly even though it was a tight finish.”

Alta Maestro held out the swooping finish of A G’s White Socks by a head at the finish.

Elle Mac was more than a length after working hard in the breeze for much of the 1980m event.

Alta Maestro’s win strengthened the Dunn stable’s already strong hand in next month’s Easter Cup.

Stable runners Alta Orlando and Letspendanitetogetha did their prospects in the race no harm, either, by going good races.

Alta Orlando had to settle for fourth after being nosed out of third by Elle Mac.

Letspendanitetogetha hit the line strongly, beaten just over two-lengths in seventh placing.

That trio and the emphatic Northern Southland Cup winner, Henry Hubert, give the Dunn stable a powerful team for the Easter Cup.

“We have got four nice horses going for it, we are really looking forward to it.”

 

Alta Maestro holds out the finish of A G’s White Socks to win at Addington. Photo: Race Images.

 

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