Racing: Shrewd Campbell judgment turns into pure gold

Mark down Andrew Campbell as a top judge. Congratulations to him for identifying Werther as a coming topliner before he'd won his first race. Photo / File

Mark down Andrew Campbell as a top judge.

Congratulations to him for identifying Werther as a coming topliner before he'd won his first race.

The judgment turned into pure gold when Werther won Sunday night's QEII Cup at Sha Tin by an astonishing four and a half lengths.

It's not that Werther was a superstar-looking horse from day one, but it's a case of handsome is as handsome does.

Not that most of the Tavistocks are all glamour in the looks department, they are tradesmen and women with good bones, but light enough to sprint better than most when the pressure goes on in staying races.

As a young horse Werther was less impressive looking than most of the Tavistocks, but Campbell wasn't put off.

"There was something about him when you saw him in a paddock with other horses," said Campbell in the Ellerslie birdcage after a win before Werther went to Australia and was then on-sold to Hong Kong.

If Werther improves from this point he will be a world sensation.

Meanwhile, you've got to hand it to the durability of St Emilion winning at Ellerslie on Saturday.

He was backing up for his third weekend straight and lumped his 60kg topweight like a real trouper in front to hold on by a breath.

"He can go out for a spell now," said co-trainer Andrew Forsman. "He's won nine races now, all of them in significantly less than 12 months."