KEY POINTS:
Maurice Campbell reckons it's time he squared up on his number of Derby wins at Ellerslie.
The former headline jockey rode three Derby winners, the incomparable Balmerino, Our Flight and Satisfy, and it's always niggled him one rider is a win ahead of him
"Bob Vance rode four
Derby winners. It's time I caught up with him."
If Sydney colt Redoute's Dancer wins the $700,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie next month Campbell won't be officially recognised because he's essentially travelling foreman for the New Zealand campaign, but it will be close enough for him.
Campbell and Redoute's Dancer, by boom sire Redoute's Choice, arrived in New Zealand on Monday and are stabled with Russell Cameron at Pukekohe.
The expensive colt is trained by Tim Martin, for whom Campbell does a bit of work.
"I took a 2-year-old filly for him named Behind to Melbourne in the last few weeks where she finished a second and a third in the Blue Diamond Prelude races."
When he finished his high-profile riding career Campbell trained at various times on both sides of the Tasman and left his Cambridge training base in December 2004.
He is riding trackwork for Tim Martin and describes what he is currently doing as "keeping my eye in".
Redoubte's Dancer will get a good sighter of the Ellerslie track for the Derby tilt by running in Saturday's $100,000 Championship Stakes in which he will be ridden by Vinny Colgan.
The colt has had just five race starts, winning a 1850m Newcastle maiden race in mid-November and, at Randwick, a second and a win over 1600m and 1800m.
"He's a very dour horse so the 2400m of the Derby is going to suit him," said Campbell.
"This is going to be a jump up in class for him, but he's got a bit of speed to put himself in the race and he's a hard horse to get past."
Jim Cassidy has been riding Redoute's Dancer in Sydney and there is a suggestion he may take the Derby ride at Ellerslie.
"I spoke to Jim yesterday," said Campbell. "He's got a few high-profile rides coming up, not only for Tim but horses like Gold Edition, and I know he can't make a commitment at the moment."
The TAB is taking no chances for the Derby around Redoute's Dancer, listing him at $9, the only other horse at a single-digit price behind Magic Cape ($4) and Stolen Thunder ($8).