Corks pop for former rogue
WHEN Duperrey scored an emphatic win on debut in Devonport yesterday it ended more than two years of frustration and disappointment from owners who had to wait until he was almost five before he gained a start.
The Barry Campbelltrained son of Star Witness started his career in the care of Australia’s top trainer Chris Waller after being bought for $160,000 by Star Thoroughbreds at the 2013 Magic Millions Yearling sale on the Gold Coast.
At two Duperrey finished third in a trial in Sydney to a subsequent Group winner, but he developed some irritating and frustrating habits that led to him being dispatched to Waller’s Melbourne stable.
It was not long before he was placed in the lost cause basket, but Star Thoroughbreds owner Denise Martin suggested he be sent to her brother-in-law Campbell in a last-ditch effort to resurrect the gelding’s career.
“I have had this horse for over a year and he definitely had issues when he first arrived, but I think he just needed a lot of time to mature,” Campbell said.
“We did a whole lot of different things with him to get him settled and eventually he started to take an interest in what he is bred to do.
“Once we had his head right I tipped him out for a spell and when he came back he still had a bit of an attitude, but he was definitely manageable.
“I trialled him a couple of weeks ago, and he led and won it by five lengths and ran sensational sectionals, so I thought all he had to do was repeat that effort and he’d win and that’s how it panned out.”
Duperrey showed good speed to share the lead with Woohoo, but when that mare dropped off turning for home Campbell’s runner slipped clear and went on to score by more than three lengths from another first-starter in Party Planner, with Mosh Opera a distant third.
Duperrey is owned by Sydney-based businesswoman Kathryn Wood in partnership with Tasmanian Bruno Colabro.
“On that win you would think there is at least another couple of wins to come,” Campbell said. BRIGHTON trainer Stephen Lockhart predicted a bright future for Fought For last preparation, but the four-yearold gelding did not quite live up to expectations. But yesterday at Spreyton, the gelded son of Von Costa de Hero delivered an unexpected win in a maiden over 1350m.
In an open betting race, Fought For settled just off the speed set by I Am The Dude, who was having its first start in the state for Wesley Vale trainer John Keys.
“I’ve always believed in this horse and maybe now that he’s got his maiden out of the way he can go forward,” Lockhart said.