“I finished second a couple of times but I couldn’t break through and I was starting to think I’d never win it,” Campbell recalled.

All that changed four years ago when he finally scored with Grand Tycoon and he went on to win the next two as well with Admiral and Siorca.

Campbell’s tally is now four after his two-year-old filly Derasa outgunned the previously unbeaten Il Regalo in the $30,000 Alfa Bowl at Mowbray on Wednesday night.

Derasa will now progress to the three biggest two-year-old races in Tasmania, the Elwick Stakes, Magic Millions and Gold Sovereign Stakes.

Campbell said his sister-in-law Denise Martin, who bought Derasa for $40,000 at the Adelaide Magic Millions sale, deserved a lot of credit for her foresight.

“This filly is by Squamosa who was virtually unknown at the time,” Campbell said.

“Even now, I think the stallion’s had only two runners and the other one has won a listed race.”

Campbell nearly had to accept the winner’s trophy from himself, as his Ensign Lodge stable sponsored the race.

However he roped in Alfa’s owner Barry Larter to do the honours.

LECONTE won his second race for Longford trainer Alana Fulton in the Ken Evans Memorial – and it should have been his third.

The former Victorian gelding was a certainty beaten at Mowbray last month when he loomed to win before his saddle slipped.

However Fulton isn’t complaining too much because Leconte has had only five starts since she bought him at an Inglis sale in Melbourne last August and has earned almost $20,000.

“He’s a very honest horse and he’s certainly been good us,” Fulton said.

“I looked at his videos before we bought him and he always seemed to be over-racing.

“When he got here, we treated his stifles which were a bit clicky and he’s done everything right since.

“He works well and races like he works so you always know what you’re going to get.”

MATIANO broke through for an overdue win in the Roy & Dora Coghlan Memorial Maiden then had to survive a protest.

Jockey Anthony Darmanin conceded that Matiano did bump runner-up Acronym but it was right on the line.

Matiano, trained by part-owner and breeder Ray Worbey, had been minor placed at nine of his previous 14 starts.

Darmanin scored again on Gee Gee Spitfire in a four-horse field in the Jack Chambers 3YO while his partner Raquel Clark also had two early wins on the heavily-backed Time Commands and Derasa.