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By Greg Prichard

Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn says the stranglehold his representatives Fukubana and Tribeca Star have on the betting market is as it should be heading into the Evergreen Turf NRRA Country Championships at Lismore on Saturday.

TAB has Fukubana as a $2.50 favourite ahead of Tribeca Star at $2.70 for the $150,000 race over 1410 metres.

The only other horse at less than double-figure odds is Lubrication, a $6 chance that is also trained by Dunn.

The first and second placegetters will qualify for the $1 million Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final over 1400 metres at Randwick on April 5.

Dunn says he’ll be “disappointed” if he doesn’t qualify at least one horse and is “optimistic” about the chances of getting two through.

Trainer Matthew Dunn (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The trainer has a sensational winning strike-rate of 29.60 per cent in country races this season and because of that his opinion going into a big race in which he has multiple fancied runners is important to hear.

Fukubana originally went up as a $2 favourite, but subsequently eased as Tribeca Star firmed and Dunn says the tiny difference between the pair now is much more like how he sees it.

“On his form Fukubana should be short, shouldn’t he,” Dunn said.

“I mean, he’s got proper stakes form.

“In saying that I’d probably have Tribeca Star a little bit in front of him just because he’s a bit more seasoned and a bit tougher, but the two of them being close in the betting is right and you could go either way.

“It’s the same as in most years, you need proper city form to be competitive in a qualifier, so they’re where they should be at the top of the market.

“Lubrication is a little bit shorter than I’d see him, but he’s definitely in with a chance.”

As a three-year-old, Fukubana finished fourth in the Group Two Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill in February of last year. He then finished well back in the Group One Randwick Guineas before going for a long spell after sustaining an injury in trackwork.

He has resumed with a third followed by a win, both in Brisbane.

Tribeca Star, which won last year’s NRRA qualifier and finished sixth in the final, has had one run this time in for an excellent third, also in Brisbane.

Lubrication was also an impressive third in Brisbane at his only run this campaign.

Here is Dunn’s take on the chances of each of his three runners:

FUKUBANA: “He was excellent last start over 1350 metres. He was in an awkward spot in a slowly-run race and really didn’t get to his top speed until the last 100 metres but he was still very effective and really put them to the sword in the end.

“He’s probably going to be at his absolute best over a little bit further than 1400, but we’ve kept him nice and fresh for this so he should be sweet.

“It’s a long way back when you’re off the scene for as long as he was, but he’s come back great. This time last year his Hobartville run was terrific and I think we’ve nearly got him back to where he was then.”

TRIBECA STAR: “He got stuck wide in last year’s final. He never got any closer than five deep. Drew a bad gate and it went against him. But he was still good value in running sixth.

“I reckon he’s now going better than last year. Good first-up, just got a long way back and they ran home in really quick time, so he’s in good shape.

“I can see him settling down in a nice spot from barrier four, about fifth on the fence, and he’ll be well placed to make a run at them from there.”.

LUBRICATION: “His form doesn’t look as good as the other two, but first-up he was excellent. He should’ve won, he just got stuck in behind them at a really vital time in the race and had to drop anchor and sort of go back and let the winner go and then try to go around it.

“No doubt he should’ve beaten the winner (Volcanic Love, which is also in the qualifier).

“He’s a chance for sure and these horses just seem to run for our new apprentice, Jett Newman. It’s quite incredible how well they go for her and she’s had a great start to her career. I’m sure he’ll do his best for her.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Country Championships meeting at Lismore