The 28-year-old Victorian didn't have a repeat of the spectacular third-stage victory that thrust him into a lead of over four minutes, yet he still has command of the demanding two-week challenge, leading his nearest pursuer in the motorcycle class - American Skyler Howes - by 3'33".
But the Red Bull GasGas factory rider, known throughout endurance motorcycling as 'Chucky', revealed he is still managing the serious elbow injury he suffered during the 2022 Dakar and kept him out of almost the entire season.
It was a long day in the dunes for Aussie rider Dan Sanders on stage 4 of the Dakar Rally Credit: IPA/Sipa USA
"We'll take it easy. It's a long race. I'm just trying to calm myself down every day.
"I said to myself and my family and friends back home that after the year off I'll be happy with a top-10 finish.
"It's been a very long 12 months and we've changed onto a new bike that I've had no time on - I only did five days of testing in America in December and back home for two weeks of recovery before straight to the race. I just have to gel with it as quickly as I can really.
"It's going alright so far and we're in the hunt," added Sanders, who's in his third Dakar after finishing fourth on his debut in 2021.
Aussie Toby Price climbed up the overall rankings to fifth after a fourth-place finish on stage 4 of the Dakar Rally Credit: IPA/Sipa USA
Price is now 7'17" behind his compatriot in a field already weakened by the early exits of some of their major rivals, headed by last year's champion Sam Sutherland, a British teammate of Sanders.
In the Cars' classification, Sebastien Loeb won stage four but Toyota's champion Nasser Al-Attiyah forged further clear in the lead.
Nine-time world rally champion Loeb beat fellow Frenchman, 14-time Dakar winner Stephane Peterhansel over the dunes, to win by 13 seconds.
It was the Bahrain Raid Xtreme driver's first stage victory of the 2023 event but he's way outside the top 10 after suffering three punctures and losing more than an hour during Monday's second stage.
Four-time Dakar winner Al-Attiyah finished the stage fourth, and now leads Saudi Arabia's Yazeed al Rajhi by 18'18".
Catch the third stage highlights tonight from 5 pm AEDT on SBS and anytime on SBS On Demand.
