by Tayler Strong
Stu Campbell, who gave away training standardbreds two years ago, was back as a winning owner at Forbury Park on Saturday with Pres The Belle.
The three-year-old filly is fittingly a trotter, as Campbell had good success with trotters among them Fleur’s Invasion (12 wins), Daisy Belle (eight) and Elayjay (nine) when based at Ocean View. He won 149 races as a trainer but moved onto other business interests in 2014.
Pres The Belle, who was having her third start, is by The Pres from Daisy Belle raced by Campbell in partnership with Des Minehan and Stuart Heal, both of Cromwell and Dexter Nind, of Waitane (Southland) on lease from Ashburton breeders Keith and Bevan Grice. She is trained at Mosgiel by Darryn Simpson.
The same owners were involved with Waitoto Express, the last winner trained by Campbell at Forbury Park in May, 2014.
Campbell had his first win with the pacer Sir Tom at Forbury Park in January, 1983.
Daisy Belle (by Sundon) had her first win at Forbury Park in 2004. Pres The Belle is her third foal and first to race. Two of her foals, a Bacardi Lindy colt (2011) and a colt foaled in 2014 by The Pres, have died of colic.
Ken Dempster, who retired after 35 years as judge and earlier five years as assistant judge for the Forbury Park Trotting Club, took a set of reins for a lap of the track in a dual sulky with a pacer, co-driven by Nathan Williamson. Dempster gave a salute as he passed the winning post.
Dempster took on additional duties with on-course announcements on Saturday after Dave McDonald, the scheduled commentator for the meeting was sidelined. McDonald was unwell when he arrived at the track.
He was taken by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital for observation. He was discharged later in the day and drove back to his home in Invercargill. Commentaries were done from Trackside television, first by George Simon and later Matthew Cross in the Christchurch studio.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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