Spreyton trainer Barry Campbell put a lifetime of experience in the racing industry to good use to win the $125,000 Newmarket Handicap with outsider Deroche at Mowbray on Wednesday night.
Although one of the best-performed mares of recent years, Deroche's form had been a little indifferent this season so Campbell decided it was time to change things around.
"She's a five-year-old mare now and has probably just been going through the motions," the trainer said.
"So I put blinkers on her to switch her on and (jumping) a few hurdles hasn't hurt her either.
"I just had to switch things around a bit.
"I even galloped her this morning to fire her up and get her thinking again."
The masterful tactics saw Deroche, ridden by apprentice Codi Jordan, cross from the second outsider barrier and lead virtually all the way.
It was also a great training achievement by Glenn Stevenson to finish runner-up with three-time Newmarket winner I'm Wesley who hadn't race since February 2020.
Like Jordan, Daniel Ganderton went forward from the outside gate and I'm Wesley was running second all the way.
First Accused ran home well to be a half head away third completing the trifecta for long-priced runners.
Favourite And Beyond, who was backed off the map from $4.40 to $2.50, ran eighth and never looked a winning chance.
Campbell said Deroche deserved another feature win.
"She's won 13 of 22 and not many mares can do that," the trainer said.
"She's been a great horse and has a great record at Mowbray.
"There was no tail-end to this race - it was as good a Newmarket as you'll see."
Codi Jordan was rapt to land the biggest win of her short career.
"It's a huge thrill to win my first major race and I owe a massive thanks to Barry and Star Thoroughbreds (Deroche's managing owner)," Jordan said.
"She jumped really well and, with blinkers first time, put herself forward and it was all good from then on."
TURK MAKES IT SEVEN FROM SEVEN
Unbeaten star Turk Warrior lived up to trainer Glenn Stevenson's expectations with his seventh straight win in the $100,000 3YO Cup.
The $1.80 favourite raced outside the leader Majestic Diamond before taking charge at the top of the straight and kicking two lengths clear at the 200m.
His main danger, the previously unbeaten Alpine Wolf, closed the margin over the closing stages but Turk Warrior still had 3/4 length to spare on the line.
Majestic Diamond held on gamely to finish third, centimetres in front of Coeur De Lyon and Outbound.
Stevenson was rapt with the winner's performance, noting that Turk Warrior appeared to stumble slightly about 150m from the finish.
"I'm not sure what happened there - it looked like he hit the running rail and lost about half a length," the trainer said.
Other than that minor hiccup, the race went to plan.
"We thought we'd be outside the leader," Stevenson said.
"The inside three metres of the track is the best going so we had to be positive on him.
"He's the fittest I've ever had him for a first-up run and you know he's always going to have a crack.
"He's just a good horse."
Stevenson said Turk Warrior would now head to the $50,000 3YO Trophy at Mowbray in a fortnight.
"He'll bounce to the 1400m without any trouble then we'll reassess and see where we go," the trainer said.
BELMISTA WINS FOR NEW STABLE
Longford trainer Barry Baker got a nice return with a recent stable addition when four-year-old gelding Belmista won the 1400m Maiden.
Belmista had spent his entire career with Scott Brunton until two weeks ago when he was transferred north to target a couple of Tasbred bonus races at Mowbray and Spreyton.
He duly saluted in the first of them, netting his owners a $16,000 bonus on top of the $13,125 stake, with another $4000 bonus going to his breeder Armidale Stud.
"I pre-trained him before he went to Scott who decided to send him back to me for a change of scenery and because I was closer to his target races," Baker said.
"He dropped him off here after his last start and I've just kept him ticking over."
SUMMER READY TO TAKE NEXT STEP
Promising filly Summer Fire avoided the stars in the 3YO Cup to easily win the Class 1 Handicap but her chance in the better races may be just around the corner.
"She's bred to be a sprinter but I think she's a chance to run 1600m and, if she can, I think I can win a reasonable race with her," trainer Adam Trinder said.
Summer Fire has now won two of her three starts since transferring to Tasmania from the Richard Freedman stable in Sydney.
"Erica (Byrne Burke) gave her a positive ride tonight and the gap came at the right time," Trinder said.
"She's a nice filly with a good action and we might step her up to the 3YO Trophy next start."
RESULTS
1- MDN 1400m: 3.20 fav. BELMISTA (B Baker, G Catania) 1, 3.40 Alpine Affair (B Muhcu) 2, 8.00 Krupt Candy (C Jordan) 3. Len, 1-3/4 len. 1:24.21.
2- MDN 1200m: 4.00 fav. SCHAUFFELE (T Hanson, B McCoull) 1, 5.00 Eight Margaritas (I Toker) 2, 8.50 Unclouded (C Jordan) 3. 2 len, 1/2 hd. 1:10.98.
3- CL1 1200m: 1.40 fav. SUMMER FIRE (A Trinder, E Byrne Burke) 1, 41.00 Twee (B Muhcu) 2, 12.00 Dawn Eagle (C Jordan) 3. 2 len, 1/2 len. 1:10.38.
4- 3YO CUP 1200m: 1.80 fav. TURK WARRIOR (G Stevenson, I Toker) 1, 4.60 Alpine Wolf (D Ganderton) 2, 10.00 Majestic Diamond (E Byrne Burke) 3. Then followed: 31.00 Coeur De Lyon, 9.00 Outbound, 61.00 Miss Charlie Brown, 41.00 Peace Be Upon Him, 6.50 Miss Tuppence. 3/4 len, 1-1/4 len. 1:10.34.
5- NEWMARKET 1200m: 26.00 DEROCHE (B Campbell, C Jordan) 1, 34.00 I'm Wesley (D Ganderton) 2, 17.00 First Accused (G Catania) 3. Then followed: 6.00 The Inevitable, 26,00 Gee Gee Secondover, 18.00 Mandela Effect, 31.00 Amaword, 2.50 fav. And Beyond, 91.00 Our Little Ted, 16.00 Street Tough, 41.00 Lim's Cruiser, 61.00 Blaze Forth, 17.00 Take The Sit. War Correspondent declared non-runner. 1/2 len, hd. 1:09.66.
6- BM68 1400m: 5.00 WELDBOROUGH (L Gaffney, B McCoull) 1, 23.00 Argyle Beach (B Muhcu) 2, 4.00 Weekend Whisky (S Carr) 3. 3.80 unpl. fav. Hellova Night. Sht nk, 3/4 len. 1:24.21.
7- CL1 1600m: 26.00 MARIPOSA (J Blacker, E Byrne Burke) 1, 2.70 Alpine Blast (D Ganderton) 2, 2.20 fav. Good Luck Bob (S Carr) 3. 1/2 len, 1-1/2 len. 1:37.61.
8- BM62 2100m: 1.55 fav. TAVISPLASH (G Stevenson, D Ganderton) 1, 8.50 Blushed (T Baker) 2, 15.00 Kel's Star (S Carr) 3. Len, 1/2 hd. 2:13.56.
Daily double (4 3) $9.10. Treble (4 4 3) $577.50. Quadrella (6 4 4 3) $16,006.90.
