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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Matt Dunn is a little bit excited about the spring ahead with promising three-year-old Subterranean, who returns from a short break at Kembla on Saturday, and hopes he can develop into the stable’s first Group 1 winner.

Trainer Matthew Dunn (Pic: Bradley Photos).

While that opportunity may not come until the 2000m of the Spring Champion Stakes in October, Dunn is looking for a positive first step in that direction in the Group 3 $160,000 Darley Up & Coming Stakes (1300m).

Subterranean only spent two weeks out after his fifth in the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) on June 12, where he found himself in inferior ground.

“He’s the same horse mentally, he’s always had that laid back attitude, but physically he’s carrying a bit more weight,’’ Dunn said.

“He’s a bit stronger, a bit heavier. He’s always been a nice horse to look at, he’s a bit more masculine now perhaps.

“I think he will be right in it. I’ve left as much in the tank as I can because the plan is to take him through to the Spring Champion Stakes if we can.”

Dunn isn’t too fussed about Subterranean drawing the outside in the Up & Coming, he’ll leave it to Hugh Bowman to do the steering though expects a conservative approach.

The colt has trialled twice and Dunn’s estimation is that racing style will both allow the horse to produce his best and give the trainer a chance to assess exactly where his fitness levels are.

“In a 1300m race he doesn’t need to be fit, he can just relax midfield or worse and work home his last 400m which is what he’s done in his races,’’ he said.

“I want to see how he runs and how pulls up to see exactly where his fitness is at. In one way he's difficult to get a line on because he is casual in his work so you don’t really know where he’s at until he goes to the races.

“He’s an exciting little horse, his run in the Atkins was way better than it looks because he was on the wrong part of the track.”

Subterranean, $7 with TAB on Thursday, was a Group 3 winner at the Gold Coast in May and only finished two lengths behind Up & Coming favourite Tiger Of Malay in the Group 1 at Eagle Farm.

Dunn has arguably the most intriguing galloper in action at Kembla as he produces import Cepheus in the Agency Spring Preview (1400m) and he’s not ruling out springing a surprise.

The five-year-old is a last start Listed winner on synthetic ground over 2500m at Deauville in December but from what he’s seen of the horse since he arrived he’s not looking like a dour stayer.

“If I just got him to train and hadn’t seen his form, didn’t know his story and pedigree, you’d say he’s a miler because he has good acceleration,’’ Dunn said.

“He’s not like a stayer, he doesn’t take forever to get through his gears.”

Dunn is relishing the chance given to him by Terry Henderson and OTI to prepare an import “straight off the plane” for the first time.

A debut winner at 1408m, Cepheus has finished second in both his trials with Keira Dunn on board and the TAB market on Thursday kept him safe at $11.

“He’s a really exciting horse. I think he will run well, it’s a bit of a wait and see,’’ Dunn said.

“Stayers can sprint well fresh and we’ve left a bit in the tank with him too.”

Subterranean runs third in a Warwick Farm trial on August 3

Matt Dunn’s comments on his other Kembla Grange runners:

Broken Arrows (race 2): “He was posted four deep no cover the start before last then last start he ran up behind them at the 200m. That’s his life story, he just needs a few things go his way and some tempo and he’ll be fine.”

Laure Me In (race 3): “He proved he can run a trip (at Grafton) and it opens a few more doors for him. Races like the Wyong and Newcastle Cups. He didn’t have any time off, he had 10 days at home going to the beach so he remained active. The stretch from 1800m to 2000m with the change of venue concerns me a little bit but it’s not the end of the world because he’ll be ridden quietly. His work at home before he came down, and here, has been better than last prep so if that’s any indication we’re in a good spot.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Kembla Grange meeting