It was business as usual at Randwick last Saturday when Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn racked up his 52nd Highway winner.
Dunn’s four-year-old Bluish Hue started the $1.65 favourite in the 1400-metre Class 3 on the back of a narrow second in the same class over 1600 metres the Saturday before.
Nash Rawiller settled the Flying Artie gelding just off the pace before moving up to challenge for the lead at the top of the straight. 
Bluish Hue went on to win by three-quarters of a length from Party Boss, who finished the race off strongly.
Interviewed after the race, Dunn credited the addition of blinkers and a good ride by Rawiller for the win. 
“We thought about blinkers after the last run and just thought it might help him get through his gears a bit better, which they did,” he said. 
“The negative was that he wanted to overdo things a little when the tempo came out of the race early. 
“He’s a horse that we need to keep encouraging to learn his craft. He hasn’t got his race brain yet but he’s certainly got his share of talent and Nash rides him really well. 
“He lost his stride at the 600 mark but Nash cuddled him back to regain his rhythm. When he pushed out, he was always going to be difficult to beat. 
“He’ll have a break now, which will give him the opportunity to improve again. He’s there physically but … his brain needs to catch up to his body.”
Stand plan clicks
Hawkesbury trainer Marc Chevalier has his eye on the 2027 Five Diamonds for lightly raced mare Stand My Ground after her win in last Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m).
First up from a spell, Stand My Ground ($10) overcame a horror draw (17 of 18) to score an impressive win. 
“It’s a very sweet feeling,” Chevalier said. “We’ve been planning this for a long time. 
“It’s been a very smooth preparation. Everything has been perfect for the past 15 weeks and the team has done an amazing job at home. 
“We knew we’d have her ready and she proved today she’s a quality mare because 1500 metres is certainly not her trip. She was only warming up.”
As for the future, he added: “The 2027 Five Diamonds is in the thinking but who knows at the moment where we’re going. 
“I’m confident she’ll run 2400 metres when ridden more conservatively — when she raced in the Oaks in the autumn she did it having missed her first-up run.” 
Chevalier went on to praise the contribution of winning jockey Tyler Schiller. 
“Tyler’s been great for our stable. I like my horses a bit fresh at the races and he’s just got that steady hand that puts them to sleep in the run and they come home in the straight.”
Around the traps
Scone trainer Scott Singleton looks to have a promising type on his hands following the runaway win of Ole Steele in a $60,000 Super Maiden over 900 metres at Newcastle last Saturday.
The Ole Kirk filly, who started a firming $2.05 favourite, led all the way under apprentice Izzy Neale, kicking clear late for a four length win over Doralee. 
Ole Steele had started only twice previously, finishing unplaced in last May’s Woodlands Stakes and third in the Red Crown later that month, both at her home track.
Mitchell Bell fared best of the jockeys at Newcastle with a winning double.
The feature race at Dubbo the same afternoon, the 1600-metre Coonabarabran Cup, went to another well backed favourite, the Rod Northam-trained Hammoon Sensation ($2.35), ridden by Kody Nestor. 
The win brought up a double for Scone-based Northam, as he’d earlier taken out the Class 1/maiden plate over 1600 metres with Smart Scud. 
Apprentice Jacob Stiff rode two winners at Dubbo, both for local trainer Paul Clisby.
The previous day, Wagga’s 2500-metre Mountaineer Cup went to $2.60 favourite Mr Fabulous, trained at Kembla by Theresa Bateup and ridden by Pierre Boudvillain. 
At Moree n the same afternoon Ben Looker had an afternoon to remember, riding four winners on the eight-race card.
On Sunday at Muswellbrook Braith Nock took riding honours with a winning double. 
At Nowra the same afternoon, the Greenwell Point Cup (1100m) was won by last-start Bombala Cup winner Jazz All Knight ($12), trained at Canberra by Barbara Joseph and her sons Paul and Matt Jones. Apprentice Jordan Quince has ridden the Knight Exemplar mare to both cup wins.
Coming attractions
This Friday sees action at Albury and Kempsey, which hosts a Showcase meeting highlighted by the 1450-metre Kempsey Cup. 
Saturday at Broken Hill sees the running of the 1600-metre Silver City Cup. 
Sunday is Guyra Cup day at Armidale and Cotton Cup day Warren, the features over 1400 and 1600 metres respectively.