Andrew Campbell had trained essentially only a handful of winners before he shocked everyone by producing longshot Tavistock to win the $220,000 Mudgway PartsWorld Stakes at Hastings.

But he has probably earned more money than most trainers in New Zealand in recent years in selling horses.  But for that he would have trained a lot more winners.

The 42-year-old might have partied hard after the Group 1 victory – he was happy to dryclean a suit and replace the cellphone he lost – but he was entitled to it. Campbell was a keen equestrian as a teenager and always wanted to pursue a career that included horses, but his father insisted he take up a trade.

He qualified as a plumber and for two years ran his own business, but the lure of the horse proved too much.  “I wanted to be a public trainer, then I quickly realised there was no money in it.” Campbell woke up to the fact that buying and selling horses after developing them was the way to make real money in the horse industry.

“I was sold on that when we bought Bartholomew for $700 and sold him for $70,000 after he won the first 2-yearold race of the season at Wanganui,” said Campbell.  Earlier Campbell had spent time learning his trade with New Zealand studmaster Arthur Williams, then did a stint in a high profile Sydney stable.  Since taking out his licence Campbell has insisted he and his owners trade every horse they develop, regardless of their potential, which is why Andrew Campbell does not register as a household name in New Zealand racing.  In fact, Campbell has done better financially than most.  “When I took out my licence I really had one major owner, Tommy Heptinstall, who is in real estate.  “I told Tommy right from the start selling them was the only way to go.

“He wanted to race the horses, but when we had this Kaapstad horse and were offered $100,000 for it after a trial win, Tommy raced it on and after three starts it proved to be no good. Then I had him convinced.” Tavistock was one that was retained and the decent sized syndicate that race him with Heptinstall are in for the big ride.  Campbell reached for the stars last season when he took Tavistock to Melbourne for the major 3-year-old races and the horse showed he had what it takes.

Like a lot of the stock of Montjeu, he was probably always going to be better at four and the Mudgway proved that.  The win may have been slightly fortuitous after the mixup when Maximum Star and Altered Image lost their riders, but this was a genuine victory by a smart horse.  Mufhasa had to move sideways and change stride when the two horses lost their riders 550m out.  “That probably cost him half a length to threequarters of a length,” said trainer Stephen Mckee.  Jason Waddell was lucky he decided to ease Tavistock to the outside to make his run around the field after being checked early and being at the back of the field.  That was a split second before the unfortunate incident, which could have been disastrous.

It meant that when Waddell and Tavistock loomed up to the leaders on the home bend, the pair had their momentum up and Mufhasa, who had been three and four wide for much of the early and middle parts of the race, had to suddenly switch up a gear to go with him.

Given Mufhasa’s problems in the running, he was probably entitled to fade to fifth or sixth, but not for the first time, he fought bravely and went down narrowly.  “I knew Mufhasa wouldn’t be easy to get past, but in the finish my horse had had one run this campaign and Mufhasa was fresh and that helped me,” said winning rider Jason Waddell.

Waddell, hugely talented, has had a roller coaster career and derived a lot of pleasure from the fact his father Noel had helped get him the Tavistock ride.  “That means a lot to me,” said Waddell.  Stephen McKee was delighted with the effort of Mufhasa.