200,000gns buy Campaign Trail initiates 101-1 Tom Bellamy treble for three different trainers

Campaign Trail was 5-4 favourite to beat Pledgeofallegiance on his last visit to Town Moor and the four-year-old went one better than that length defeat to the subsequent Royal Ascot winner to make a successful hurdling debut.

The son of Mastercraftsman won three times on the Flat for Ralph Beckett before being sold for 200,000gns in October last year, and won by six lengths in the 2m½f novice hurdle on his belated first appearance for Kim Bailey.

“We bought him at the sales last year and he had a hairline fracture on his pelvis literally the first day we schooled him, so we gave him the whole year off,” said Bailey.

“Willie Mullins said to me at the time if he was his, then he’d be out in the field, although he did actually end up that way because we couldn’t train him.”

Bailey was pleased to reward the Its Only Money ownership group and said: “They’ve been incredibly patient. It’s a big investment and they’ve got something to look forward to.”

Campaign Trail’s jockey Tom Bellamy won the following 2m3f novice handicap chase on Classic King. Bellamy was nearly unshipped from the Emma Lavelle-trained six-year-old when he made a jolting error at the last, but his mount rallied on the run-in to record a first success over fences at the third attempt.

Last year’s Triumph Hurdle sixth Rightsotom completed a 101-1 treble for Bellamy when landing the 2m3½f handicap hurdle on his second start since joining Joe Tizzard from Tom Mullins.

Stevens strikes on Slugger

Alice Stevens will claim 3lb rather than 5lb from now on after riding her 40th winner in the 2m½f handicap hurdle on Slugger for Harry Derham.

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