"She was unlucky at the first start in Waipukurau almost three weeks ago so it's just a learning curve for her about the race game," he says of the 3-year-old filly who will have apprentice Leah Hemi in the saddle from barrier 9. Hoskins was sired by Volksraad (Great Britain) out of the dam, Splinter (New Zealand), at the Windsor Park Stud.
"She had a good run at Waipuk and was a lot closer but had no luck so she's stepping up to 1400m from 1200," says Patrick, hopeful the 200m more may make a difference to Hoskins who finished seventh out of 11 on a good 3 track at Waipukurau on December 6.
Richie Rox, with Napier-based apprentice jockey Miranda Dravitzki, has drawn barrier 2 in the 1200m Stella Artois for maiden 3-year-olds at 2.46pm in a field of eight, including John Bary's Savatag (Jonathan Riddell), Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen's My Tommy (Johnathan Parkes).
"It's Richie Rox's first start and he hasn't even been to a trials yet," says Campbell, revealing the 3-year-old brown gelding has only one low-key jump out in Hastings earlier last month and is one of the "very green" proteges who will benefit most from the "backdoor" exposure.
When it comes to Don't Change, Campbell is bereft of ideas on what's in store shortly after 3.23pm, when Kane Smith charges out of the barrier two in race 5, Best Travel 1200.
"I can't tell you a thing about him," says Campbell of the Karaka Millions-registered horse who is having his first start in eight months.
Don't Change, sired by Thewayyouare (USA) out of dam Sierra Dane (Australia), had his last run at Awapuni (Manawatu) in a rating 65 1200m dash to finish seventh out of 11.
"He was disappointing and didn't get into the race at all," he says of Don't Change who will step up today from to a rating 75, 1600m race.
However, the field of 11 is down to nine after two scratchings - the Emily Holmes-trained Victory Dragon and Allan Sharrock-trained Darci Mac.
Don't Change, who was runner-up over 1400m in a rating 65 race in Hastings on May 7 in 2015, has only one victory on a heavy 10 Wellington track on April 26, 2014.
Campbell says Don't Change is much better than what his results suggest.
"He's been very injury-prone so I'm hoping he'll mature with age to put his problems behind him."
Don't Change has been physically in good shape but the trainer suspects some horses find the Awapuni track unusual and his gelding happens to be one of them.
"It's a track [Awapuni] that's sand silted so it's different from the rest of the Central Districts tracks."
Campbell's Keep Us Happy (Dravitzki) wraps up the day for a promising year in the Roger Russell and Charlie Kennan Memorial maiden 1600m which starts at 5.13pm.
The 4-year-old mare, who has had eight career starts, is coming off a third placing over 1600m in Hastings on December 10.
"She did not have much room. She's not very big and was beaten by half a head."
