Bronzed Venom continues turnaround in form to win second straight race on Gold Coast

TRAINER Matthew Dunn says Bronzed Venom has always had the ability to win and just needed a simple change in environment to find success.

Bronzed Venom was one of three winners Matthew Dunn has had since Friday. Photo: Mark Cranitch.

TRAINER  Matthew Dunn says Bronzed Venom has always had the ability to win and just needed a simple change in environment to find success.

Jockey Matthew McGuren rode Bronzed Venom to his second straight win in the Class 1 Handicap (1400m) on the Gold Coast on Saturday to take his record to two victories from six starts and remain unbeaten with Dunn.

It is a huge turnaround for the four-year-old whose best finish was a fifth-place at Ipswich after his first four starts while based in Brisbane.

But Murwillumbah-based Dunn said there was no secret behind Bronze Venom’s success since joining his stable in December late last year.

“Even first up we thought he could nearly win because I know his form looked rubbish before, but his work was better than what his form looked,” Dunn said.

“Sometimes horses just need a change and away they go. He probably just appreciates the new environment better. It is a lot different to the place he would be at Eagle Farm.

“I think that’s probably the key. He probably likes the country environment and likes going to the beach and likes the way we do things here.”

Dunn said that Bronzed Venom would likely go to 1600m in his next run as he works up to 2000m.

The win was one of three Dunn has had since Friday with Good Job Bro finding the line at Eagle Farm on Saturday and Karen’s Heart winning at Ballina a day earlier.

It was also the third win from five starts on the Gold Coast on Saturday for McGuren who also rode David Kelly’s Umgeni and Bryan and Daniel Guy’s Lefkas Island.

McGuren is a regular rider for Dunn, who rated the 27-year-old as the best jockey currently working across both the Northern Rivers and Gold Coast regions.

“He is a far superior rider to anybody else that’s riding down here and probably the best rider at the Coast as well,” Dunn said.

“It’s not a fluke that we have made sure we have secured him for all our runners at the Coast and the northern rivers ... he is a big reason why we have had success down here.”