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By Greg Prichard

Leading country trainer Matthew Dunn already spreads the tentacles of his big team far and wide from its Murwillumbah stable and on Tuesday he hits Taree with a double-pronged attack in the last race.

It’s rare for Dunn to run horses at the Mid North Coast track, but recent washouts of meetings closer to his home base mean he has had to search harder for other opportunities.

And a trainer with a winning strike-rate as extraordinarily good as his doesn’t do anything without a good reason, so take strong note of his runners.

Rupestris (Andrew Mallyon) in winning form at Grafton. Image by Trackside Photography

At this stage Archie Maximus ($4.60 on TAB) is still down to run The Forum Insurance Group Class 2 Benchmark 62 Handicap over 1412m, which is race six, but Dunn said on Monday he was leaning towards scratching the three-year-old gelding because of the track conditions.

The Taree surface was rated a Heavy 8 on Monday morning, with some further rain forecast ahead of Tuesday’s meeting.

“I scratched him from Coffs Harbour last Friday because of the heavy track,” Dunn said.

“He’s a great big horse that I don’t think is going to be any good on heavy ground.

“All of mine are in late races so I’ve got until the morning to check on the track conditions before making a final decision, but at this stage I don’t think I’ll be running Archie Maximus.

“The other two will both be going around in the last race though.

“It won’t stop raining up this way. We lost three meetings in a bit over a week and then I went to Coffs Harbour and scratched six out of 10 of mine because of the heavy track.

“I’m not sure when I was last at Taree. I’m thinking I must’ve been there at some stage, but certainly not recently.”

So unless there is a late rethink re Archie Maximus it will be Permission Granted and Rupestris for Dunn in race seven, the Wingham Beef Week 12-15 May Country Boosted Class 1 Handicap over 1262m.

Last season’s champion country jockey Aaron Bullock will ride Rupestris, while Rory Hutchings will take charge of Permission Granted.

Permission Granted is the $3.40 TAB favourite and Rupestris is on the third line of betting at $4.60, but when asked if he had a pick between the pair the trainer settled on Rupestris.

“They’re both good chances. It’s the right race for each of them and they’ve both drawn well and have good jockeys,” Dunn said.

“My only concern is that it’s first-up from a spell for both of them and obviously first-up you always prefer a firmer surface, but it is what it is.

"They’ve each had two trials and are fit. They’re ready to roll.

“They both get through the wet ground OK, but I know Rupestris does have the more genuine wet-track form.

"He won his Maiden on a Soft 7 at Grafton, but I felt the track was worse than that on the day. He’ll probably get through the ground better.”

Permission Granted’s Maiden win came on a good track. He has been placed on a Soft 5 and ran fourth at Grafton on the same day Rupestris won, in a different race.

Dunn has trained 73 winners across NSW this season, including six at Sydney tracks. He won the TAB Highway Handicap at the stand-alone meeting at Gosford on Saturday with Neil.

His 67 other winners have all come at country tracks and he is clearly the leading country trainer ahead of the Brett and Georgie Cavanough partnership, which has 49.5.

Dunn’s overall winning strike-rate this season is 29.7% and in the country it’s 30.2%, so you’ve always got to take his runners into consideration.

** First race 12.45pm. Gates open 11.30am. Entry $10 adults and $5 concession.

Café Nosh Taree bistro, bar and full TAB and bookmaker facilities in the air-conditioned Winning Post Function Centre.

See Manning Valley Race Club Facebook page for more details.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here