MINGTON will enter today’s Daily News Cup on the second-line of betting, but trainer Matthew Dunn reckons the stallion is a deserved favourite.

The three-year-old has been spelled after some recent disappointing results.

However, Dunn has backed his colt to return the form that resulted in two wins on Brisbane metropolitan tracks last year.

“If he turns up and runs (today), there is not much in that race that could get up over him,” Dunn said.

Mington will be today’s top weight in the feature race, but Dunn said it wasn’t anything the strong chestnut couldn’t handle.

With recent fine weather, the track would suit him too, Dunn said.

Mington’s first win came at Eagle Farm on July 14 last year, in a 1000m maiden, with the late Stathi Katsidis in the saddle.

He backed that up two months later by beating 13 horses at Doomben to win a year-old handicap over 1110m.

Dunn has ripped the work into the colt to have him cherry ripe for his return to racing and it won’t be for lack of fitness that he will get beaten this afternoon.

The trainer did give a tip of sorts when he said he wanted to get Mington to the races before the August 1 deadline, when the Breeders and Owners Bonus Scheme expires for the present crop of three-year-olds.

Under the scheme, if Mington can be first to greet the judge his owner will receive a $5000 bonus – enough said.

Dunn will have two other horses in action today, with Holly Molly and Grenada both chances in the three-year-old maiden.