Matthew Dunn confident Code Noir can return a winner at Doomben

MATT Dunn has assured punters they can back Code Noir with confidence at Doomben on Saturday, despite the gelding having had two throat operations and being sidelined for 16 months.

Code Noir, right, hasn’t raced since March last year. Picture: Regi Varghese

MATT Dunn has assured punters they can back Code Noir with confidence at Doomben on Saturday, despite the talented gelding having had two throat operations and being sidelined for 16 months.

Trainer Dunn has a big opinion of Code Noir who is by Glenlogan Park sire Red Element and enjoyed two barnstorming wins to start his racing career early last year.

But everything went wrong when Code Noir started making strange sounds from his airways, requiring two throat operations to correct the problem.

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Code Noir hasn’t raced since March last year but UBET has him the $4 favourite for Saturday’s 1200m Class Three Plate at Doomben.

Dunn believes he will improve for the run and get better over more distance but is full of confidence he can win first up.

“I think people can back him with a bit of confidence,” Dunn said. “He has had two trials and hasn’t been fully extended in either trial, but he doesn’t take massive amounts of work to get to the races.”

Dunn had such a high early opinion of Code Noir that he had him earmarked as a “proper Carnival horse” before things went amiss.

Matthew Dunn has a big opinion of Code Noir. Picture: Jono Searle

A lot will depend on how he runs on Saturday, but there could still be big fish to fry for the horse passed in for $16,000 at the Magic Millions Sales in 2013.

“I don’t want to set any plans yet, but Sydney or Melbourne could certainly be on the cards for him,” Dunn said. “If he comes back well, he is certainly in work at the right time to look at sending him to some races down south.

“There was a bit of a complication with his first surgery, so he had to have another one, but everything seems to have gone successfully in the end.

“He gets back and runs on and that is what I want to continue to establish.

‘‘I think it is important these horses who have had throat operations learn to relax in their races.

“There looks good speed on paper in this race at Doomben so he will just be allowed to find a spot early in the race and then he can hopefully come home really strongly.”

Code Noir heads back to the races after having two throat operations. Picture: Regi Varghese

UBET indicated they won’t be risking Code Noir on Saturday.

“We haven’t seen him for a while now, but he’s a nice horse from a smart stable and, if he races anything like he did last time in, he’ll give a good sight to his backers,” a UBET spokesman said. “We won’t be taking any chances on him.”

Murwillumbah-based Dunn could also have an exciting time ahead with Londehero and Royal Occasion in next week’s Ramornie at Grafton.

With NSW prizemoney increases, Dunn plans to run many of his midweek grade horses in northern NSW rather than racing them in southeast Queensland.

“Currently we go to places like Grafton, but with the Pacific Highway improving I will be looking at sending some horses to Coffs Harbour to race,” he said.

Originally published as Matthew Dunn confident Code Noir can return a winner at Doomben