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Matt Cameron added to his Group One record at Trentham, but it came two races later than he had expected and from an unlikely source.
The leading jockey’s high hopes of landing the Woodridge Homes Levin Classic aboard Xtravagant were dashed when the star colt’s bubble burst and he could only finish fourth.
Cameron’s fortunes turned around in the JR & N Berkett Telegraph when he picked up the ride on the longshot Adventador after his original mount Procurement failed to get off the ballot.The Hastings speedster relished the Dead 6 conditions to lead all the way and hold off the late challenge of the southern mare Miss Seton Sands to score at odds of 80-1.
“He gave himself a fright before the race by jumping the rail, but then he cruised along nicely,” Cameron said.“He changed leg in the straight, but he had enough momentum to keep going. He got the track to suit and don’t worry about Xtravagant, he’ll be back winning Group One races.”
Adventador is trained by Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen, who prepared Miss Bailey during his solo career to win the 1999 Wellington Cup as a 142-1 shot, and followed their 2014 Telegraph success with Irish Fling.“We worked him in blinkers about six weeks ago and he was very impressive,” Lowry said. “We thought we would save them for something special and it was today.”
The seven-year-old Adventador has won seven races in a career that has been restricted to 24 appearances.“This horse has had a lot of problems – he’s had a wind operation and he’s got a plate in his leg. It’s very satisfying,” Lowry said.