Gobstopper
Race Images Palmerston North
Andrew Campbell is hoping a gear addition will bring out the family talent in Gobstopper on Wednesday.
The Opaki trainer is keeping the faith in the well-related three-year-old, despite a below par effort ahead of his resuming run at Hastings.
"He's a pretty fair horse and I like him a lot, we wouldn't have taken him to Australia otherwise," Campbell said.
"He went a bit ordinary at the trials so we'll put the blinkers on him – his brother used to love them."
He was referring to Werther, who Campbell guided to Group Two success in last season's Eagle Farm Cup and Group One placings in the South Australian and Queensland Derbys before the son of Tavistock joined John Moore's Hong Kong stable.
Werther was a first-up winner from his new quarters in December and last time out he finished second in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Classic Mile.
His sibling Gobstopper ran fourth on debut and was sixth in the Listed Wanganui Guineas on his return from a break.
That performance on an unsuitably heavy track encouraged Campbell to cross the Tasman where Gobstopper was unplaced in the Gr.3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill before a solid fourth against the older horses over 2200 metres at Scone.
"He pulled a bit that day so it was a fair effort," Campbell said. "He's going to be a stayer, but whether he's got the turn of foot of his brother we'll have to wait and see."
Gobstopper will be ridden in the Orora Kiwi Packaging 1400 by Jonathan Riddell and he will also be on the stablemate Marconi, a last-start fifth at Tauherenikau, in the Awesum Organics 1200.
"The track didn't suit him and he got back over a 1000 metres," Campbell said. "He slipped and nearly went down on the turn." - NZ Racing Desk.
The Opaki trainer is keeping the faith in the well-related three-year-old, despite a below par effort ahead of his resuming run at Hastings.
"He's a pretty fair horse and I like him a lot, we wouldn't have taken him to Australia otherwise," Campbell said.
"He went a bit ordinary at the trials so we'll put the blinkers on him – his brother used to love them."
He was referring to Werther, who Campbell guided to Group Two success in last season's Eagle Farm Cup and Group One placings in the South Australian and Queensland Derbys before the son of Tavistock joined John Moore's Hong Kong stable.
Werther was a first-up winner from his new quarters in December and last time out he finished second in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Classic Mile.
His sibling Gobstopper ran fourth on debut and was sixth in the Listed Wanganui Guineas on his return from a break.
That performance on an unsuitably heavy track encouraged Campbell to cross the Tasman where Gobstopper was unplaced in the Gr.3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill before a solid fourth against the older horses over 2200 metres at Scone.
"He pulled a bit that day so it was a fair effort," Campbell said. "He's going to be a stayer, but whether he's got the turn of foot of his brother we'll have to wait and see."
Gobstopper will be ridden in the Orora Kiwi Packaging 1400 by Jonathan Riddell and he will also be on the stablemate Marconi, a last-start fifth at Tauherenikau, in the Awesum Organics 1200.
"The track didn't suit him and he got back over a 1000 metres," Campbell said. "He slipped and nearly went down on the turn." - NZ Racing Desk.