Ace trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo held centre stages at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he had an evening to remember, with three wins, two seconds and two thirds as a trainer, and revealing his great skill in the sulky with his nine drives resulting in two wins, two seconds and two thirds.
The highlight was his victory with Dame Valour, who overcame the significant disadvantage of starting from the outside barrier (No. 9) in the main event, the $31,000 Coulson Pace over 2130m.
Dame Valour was a $10.60 chance who was restrained back to the rear in the field of eleven and was in last place when De Campo seized the moment after a slow second 400m section of 29.9sec. to set Dame Valour alight from last with 900m to travel.
The six-year-old WA-bred Dame Valour sustained a spirited three-wide burst to get to the front on the home turn and go on to win by a half-length from stablemate and $4.40 second favourite Champagne Everyone, who was driven by Trent Wheeler and followed Dame Valour all the way in the final circuit.
“I had to drive Dame Valour like the best horse in the race,” explained the 33-year-old De Campo. “She was dropping back from the real good mares’ races, but the barrier draw probably shied a few people away. And we were able to get into the race easily when the pace dropped off.”
Dame Valour is by Sweet Lou and is the fourth foal out of Brush With Courage, who was retired after winning the Western Crown for two-year-old fillies in May 2010, with earnings of $33,895 from three wins and two placings from nine starts.
Dame Valour is raced by Rob Tomlinson, Damien Keating and Peter Morris. She was purchased for $58,000 at the 2020 Perth APG yearling sale, and now has raced 44 times for 12 wins, 13 placings and $142,639.
Queeninthecorner was the $2.70 favourite in Friday night’s event, but she ruined her chances by galloping badly at the start. She raced at the rear and finished seventh. The pace was set by Ekara Navajo, who wilted over the final 400m to finish a well-beaten tenth.
After Friday night’s meeting De Campo had driven 112 winners for the season to take his career record to 1337 wins. He has operated as a full-time trainer for six years, and his tally of 117 this year boosted his record to 564 winners.
