Aiden de Campo
Punters who burnt their fingers when the heavily-supported Ultimate Major finished second to This Time Dylan in the Mount Eden-No Dill Christmas Handicap last Friday night should forgive the six-year-old for his defeat and support him to win the Entertainment With Horsepower Handicap, a stand over 2503m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Ultimate Major, favourite at 9/4, ruined his chances when he broke into a gallop at the start of last week’s race. He was eighth at the bell before unwinding a spirited burst to finish second, just one metre behind This Time Dylan.
There were excuses for Ultimate Major’s poor start. Like some of his rivals, he was edgy when the race got under way at the second attempt --- after a malfunction with the tapes caused a false start to be called.
A week earlier Ultimate Major, trained at Capel by Andrew de Campo and driven by his son Aiden, impressed with a powerful burst to finish third behind Galactic Star and Straight Thru Blue.
The Dylan Egerton-Green-trained Waltzing With Cullen is the lone backmarker off 20m and he looks the main danger to Ultimate Major.
Waltzing With Cullen started off 20m last Friday night and he gave a strong performance to run home boldly, out wide, from last in a field of 12 at the bell to be a very close third behind This Time Dylan and Ultimate Major.
Waltzing With Cullen is a seasoned veteran of 106 starts for 20 wins and 46 placings. The eight-year-old has resumed after a spell in grand style, with his seven starts this season producing two wins, two seconds and three thirds.
