TWELVE months ago Cessnock trainer, Greg Campbell, was diagnosed with liver cancer, relinquished his trainer’s licence and turned his only horse, Charge Of Light, out in a paddock.
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Recently, after a clearance from his doctors following a lengthy treatment, Campbell took out his licence again and got the horse back into work.
Last week, Charge Of Light, ridden by Thomas Huet, came from last to win the First Season Sire Moonlark Class Three (1000m). It was Campbell’s first starter since resuming training and Charge Of Light’s first start since the long, enforced spell.
“When Greg was diagnosed we were told there was only a three per cent chance of recovery,” his wife Liz said.
“He went through a lot of treatment and it seems to have worked.
“Greg has regular checks and so far everything is fine so he appears to have been one of the few lucky ones.
“Neither of us thought the horse could win.
“He is a horse that has always had ability and won his maiden at Gosford.”
Charge Of Light charged home to beat Shalama (Grant Buckley) by three quarters of a length with Blinkin Rockin (Rachel King) a further two and a half lengths away third.
Meanwhile, the Paul Perry trained The Look finally found conditions to suit and courtesy of a heady ride from Thomas Huet won the Horsepower Queen Of The North.
Huet went wide on the turn looking for better ground and finished wide out. It was her first win since Gosford 11 months ago but foreman, Shannon Perry, defended her record.
“She needs the speed on up front and they went lickety split which suited her perfectly” Perry said.
“Many of her runs since her last win have been in races where they went slowly in front and it doesn’t suit her.”
The Gerald Ryan-trained Starzel (Adam Hyeronimus) went hard early and opened up a lead of several lengths while The Look was back last.
Approaching the turn Huet took The Look wide to that section of the track which had seen very little if any traffic in earlier races.
“Thomas went looking for virgin territory and it was a winning move,” Perry said.
She finished hard down the outside to win by two and a half lengths from Klisstra (Andrew Gibbons) with Sahara Chill (Blake Spriggs) a further one and three quarter lengths away third.