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By Graeme White 

Dubbo trainer Dar Lunn isn’t selling short the chances of in-form sprinter Classy Rebel in the $37,000 Keady Family Crystal Sprint (1200m) after a brilliant preparation that has yielded seven wins from 12 starts.

Classy Rebel has performed beyond expectations and steps up a notch for the feature sprint with jockey Clayton Gallagher aboard from barrier 12.

At a time in his preparation when many gallopers are looking for a possible spell, Classy Rebel has gone the other way reeling off a succession of high class displays.

“If he hasn’t won he has run a couple of seconds and only missed a place a few times,” Lunn said.

“I was hoping to draw better and it’s a strong race, but he has done everything right since his last run at Orange.

“He was able to win with 62.5 kilograms and is back to 58 kilograms on Sunday.

“It’s crucial to draw inside at Coonamble so that is my main worry that he has a wide alley.”

Owners Guy Mitchell and Rob Pratt purchased Classy Rebel some 18 months ago for what Lunn believes was around $3500.

“He has won about $128,000 in total and most of that has been for his current owners,” Lunn explained.

“He has come back in great form since a spell and at one stage this campaign he was able to win the Gilgandra Cup two days after running second at Dubbo.”

Classy Rebel’s run of success is the type of success story any country owners like Mitchell and Pratt would like to have.

The galloper had moderate form in Victoria when he was purchased with two wins to his name.

“I gave him a few starts when we first got him and he was able to win one race, but since a decent spell he hasn’t looked back,” Lunn explained.

Wild Rocket has also excelled this year winning her latest start in the Narromine Cup for trainer Kylie Kennedy and jockey Matthew Cahill.

The mare’s latest start was eight weeks ago when she defeated subsequent Bathurst Cup victor, From The Bush.

Lunn is hopeful Classy Rebel – his only starter at the feature meeting of the year at Coonamble – can keep up his high winning strike-rate ahead of a big week for his owners and trainer.

They will also have last start Dubbo winner Praline racing at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

The mare was another cheap purchase who has been able to win four of her 11 starts.

Meanwhile, trainer Scott Singleton will have a double chance of collecting both feature races with Partners against Classy Rebel in the Sprint and Rich And Shameless lining-up in the $75,000 Geronimo – New Holland Agriculture Coonamble Cup (1600m).

Rich And Shameless took out the Mudgee Black Nugget in August and hasn’t been far away in two subsequent starts.

Aesop’s Fable has only raced twice for new trainer Peter Sinclair and almost struck instantly winning her second start for him in the $100,000 Dubbo Cup.

Ready To Humble ran fifth in the Dubbo Cup at his first start for new trainer Nick Olive which followed a second behind the in-form Macchina Volante in the Murwillumbah Cup.

Leading trainer Rodney Northam ran second in the Coonamble Cup last year with Mo’s Glory and will line-up again with the mare from a middle of the line draw on Sunday.

Mo’s Glory has only raced four times since and is first-up against after an eight-week racing break.