Freelancer to the four

TRAINER Barry Campbell has always been a believer in the adage strike while the iron is hot, which is why he accepted at Elwick on Sunday with his in-form sprinter-miler Freelancer.

Freelancer has won his past three, the latest a dominant display over 1350m in at Devonport last Sunday.

“The horse is going extra well, and he pulled up so well from last Sunday’s run that I decided to put him on a seven-day back-up.” Campbell said.

“There are no suitable races for him in Launceston on Sunday week and then there is nothing suitable for him at home on the synthetic, so while he is in such great form, he gets the chance to try to make it four in a row.

“Whatever the result on Sunday he’ll get two weeks off.”

Two of the four-year-old’s past three outings have been over Sunday’s trip of 1600m.

Freelancer has not been missed by the handicapper. He started this preparation as a benchmark 65-rated horse, but his three wins have earned him 10 rating points.

“It’s not easy to place your horses with our rating system, and if we look back at Freelancer’s form, he got beat four starts back in a maiden-class one,” Campbell said.

He has had 14 starts for five wins and as many placings for $140,000 in stakes.

Campbell will also saddle up Zeva Royale in a maiden over 1390m, but the mare’s form does not command too much respect.

“I think there is two of Zeva Royale, but if the right one turns up, she’s a chance,” he said.

While she is an outside chance, Roche’s Beach trainer Julie Richards will saddle up Campeo in the race and he has form to suggest he could win at his first start in the state.

Campeo started his racing career in the UK where he had three starts as a two-year-old in late 2020 for Team Hawkes before being transferred to the care of Chris Waller, who gave him one short campaign that resulted in two placings from three starts between mid-December and January.

The four-year-old son of Acclamation would only need to be reasonably fit to win on Sunday. HARNESS trainer Gavin Kelly is no stranger to preparing longshot winners and when Blackbird Power won in Launceston last Sunday and paid $288 the NSW Tote, nobody should have been too surprised.

Kelly and Blackbird Power have combined for other wins where the gelding has saluted at big odds, although this latest triumph was clearly one for the 50 cent punters.

He was the first horse Kelly trained when he took out his licence and few would boast winning 20 races with the first horse they put in harness.