Gear change and reset for Campaldino
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have delved into their bag of tricks to help Campaldino turn around his indifferent form.
Stakes performer Campaldino has been below his best this spring, but his trainers haven't given up on coaxing him back to form, starting in the Sydney Gold Cup at Randwick.
Along with making some changes to his regular routine, co-trainer Adrian Bott has taken the gelding's blinkers off, and is hoping it results in a much more competitive showing on Saturday.
The 2025 Brisbane Cup victor boasts a Listed victory over Metropolitan and Moonee Valley Cup winner Juja Kibo in the autumn, but has been unplaced in four runs this time in, the latest when finishing down the track in the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 10.
"He was very consistent at that point (in the autumn), and he hasn't brought that consistency this 'prep', so just trying to rejuvenate that, that's the challenge," Bott said.
"We've tried to freshen him up and reset.
"We took the blinkers off, and we've changed a few things around with him the last few weeks.
"That said, it's probably not the best set-up for him coming back to 2000, but it does lead him into a nice race in a few weeks' time where he should be most effective."
That race is The Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle on November 14, but Bott is keen to see a positive run on Saturday first, and he's quietly optimistic he will
