Campanile ready to return to form

Press, Issue 32535, 19 February 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

Campanile ready to return to form

“The Press” Special Service PALMERSTON NORTH. His outstanding performance last week in the Wanganui Cup makes Campanile one of the leading hopes for the Woodville Cup tomorrow.

For the last 12 months Campanile has been a real problem horse. He has incurred injuries which have kept him out of work for months on end, but last week, in his third start after a year off, his trainer E. Skelton had him close to his best.

He had contested only two sprint races, he suffered checks near the seven furlongs, but he raced round the field to challenge the leaders on the turn. Soon after that he weakened, but he showed his class by battling into fourth. With the benefit of that run, nearly two furlongs less to run and only 7.6 to carry he must be hard to beat.

Fort Hagen is a highly promising colt, which though he has not run in open class, contributes his share to the depth of the current crop of three - year - olds. He ran a close second to Trelay on this course in January and last week finished on for third to Breathalyser at Rotorua, a race which may have improved him. Sharif ran out of the money for the second time in a dozen starts this term when he ran at Riccarton last week. It was his first try at a mile and a half and his rider felt he would have paid a dividend had he not been checked near the furlong. He has won at the Woodville distance. Flying Crest is a front runner of some quality. He found last week’s 12 furlongs beyond him, but lasted almost 11 and will find this well within his compass after his impressive Trentham victory over 11 furlongs.