TRAINER John Campbell, whose Venetian Nero booked his spot in Saturday’s Gold Cup semi-finals at Monmore with a 10-1 heat success last weekend, is hoping his lightly raced dog can ruffle a few more feathers at the Wolverhampton circuit.
Campbell, 62, who recently took third in Towcester’s Category One Juvenile Classic with 25-1 outsider Venetian Mario, is acutely aware that his dog faces the toughest of tasks when he lines up against the likes of Woltemade, Strike It Skye and Goldcash Warrior, but knows he has the speed to make his presence felt.
He said: “It’s a really good race and to get in the first two will be tough, but he’s in good shape and this is only his third four-bend race since the start of May so there is definitely more to come.
“His owner Graham Freeman spotted him for sale in the online auction and we liked his Irish card. He’d won his last four, three at Shelbourne Park, and had won from the front and coming from behind.
“Graham managed to get him and we gave him a sprint at Hove and he went round in 16.30sec, which is pretty decent. He missed the break in his first race but ran on well to be second but then got knocked over next time out which was a setback.
“We gave him some time off and decided to forget about sprints and step him up. He won a maiden at Dunstall and then took his chance on Saturday in what was a bit of a scrappy race early.
“We’re under no illusions about the task ahead, but it’s nice to be in there and giving it a go.”
In a nomadic career, Campbell has been attached to a host of tracks since taking his licence out more than 20 years ago, and these days keeps a smaller team of around nine dogs for open-racing.
He said: “I started dating a girl when I was 21 and her dad used to go to Reading dogs. I went for the first time, got hooked, and bought my first dog three weeks later.
“Eventually I started out training a few and have raced at tracks such as Henlow, Rye House, Reading, Portsmouth, Poole, Perry Barr, Oxford and Swindon – all of which sadly are now gone.
“I feel lucky to have turned a hobby into a career and it becomes a way of life. I’ve met some fantastic characters over the years at those tracks, and while things have changed now, I still love what I do.”
Campbell has yet to win a major competition, going close with Swift Merlot in the Guys & Dolls at Crayford in 2016, who was beaten a head in a photo.
“That was a close one, but we missed out,” he said. “Of course it’s an ambition to win a big final, but you’re often competing against dogs that cost several times what we pay for ours.
“Mario did well at Towcester to come third at a track which arguably doesn’t suit the wide runners so much. He’s still got a lot of growing up to do but will be a nice dog for next year.
“He goes 100 miles an hour into the bend but couldn’t hold his line at the bend at Towcester. He’s been entered for the heats of the Peter Billingham Memorial at Monmore on Saturday and I’m hoping that will suit him better.”
