A small town thoroughbred grew into a brilliant star of the Australian turf

Deep in farming country, Berrigan was the original one-horse town and the unlikeliest of the places in Australia from which Gerard Bush might one day arrive at the crowded city with a horse - unless that one horse was Campaign King. In the late 1980s, Campaign King emerged from Berrigan - 257km north of Melbourne, about twice that southwest of Sydney, (population 922) to become a champion sprinter-miler. There must have been something in the water at Berrigan, as trainet Les Theodore produced another star soon after, Better Loosen Up, later with Colin and then David Hayes, who ultimately became an Australian champion and a Japan Cup winner. When horses like that comes out of a town of 900 people, it does get people's attention.

Campaign King was foaled in 1982 and was by Saarond out of the mare Acid Queen (by Acidity). First trained by likeable larrikin Les Theodore in his two and three-year-old season, Campaign King outgrew Berrigan and ended up in the astute Bart Cummings' yard.The late Johnny Marshall rode Campaign King fourteen times for eight wins in a stellar racing career. Altogether they won four Group ones, a Group 2 and three races at Group 3 level. Their wins at the elite level were the 1987 George Main Stakes, 1988 George Ryder, 1988 Doomben 10,000 (named the Rothmans 100,000 from 1980-1989) and six weeks later the 1988 Elders (Stradbroke Handicap) with a half kg penalty. He is best remembered for his great stouches with champions like Vo Rogue, whom he almost run down in the 1988 VATC Futurity Stakes, a classic battle of speed over staying power and the Kiwi Cox Plate winner, Our Poetic Prince.

The 1987 Cox Plate field was full of brilliant WFA milers, and included – Rubiton, Our Poetic Prince, Fair Sir, Vo Rogue, Beau Zam, Kappstad, Tidal Light, Campaign King, High Regard and Drought. Vo Rogue strode to a massive lead with Tidal Light chasing before Poetic Prince came through only to be run down by Rubiton near the line. In the All-Aged Stakes, Campaign King burst though with sheer determination to trounce a very handy field. The Stradbroke win may have been his finest though, kicking hard with 200m to go to power away from a fast finishing Rancho Ruler and Planet King. It showcased his comprehensive fortitude and capacity to access additional reserves of energy and drive on while his competitors demonstrated only signs of fatigue.

Campaign King’s complete record was 56 starts for 23 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds for more than $1.8 million dollars in earnings. Sadly he was all but infertile at stud but did manage to get a mare called Chilla Magic in foal. The resultant foal raced under the name of Campaign’s Magic and won ten races around the Riverina. He stood at acclaimed thoroughbred nursery, Widden Stud, where he died in December 1991.

RACE RECORD - 56: 23-5-2

EARNINGS - $1,832,840

VATC Futurity Stakes

Ascot Vale Stakes

William Reid Stakes

All Aged Stakes

George Ryder Stakes

Linlithgow Stakes

George Main Stakes

George Ryder Stakes

1988 Rothmans 100,000

Elders Handicap

Chelmsford Stakes

Missile Stakes