A simple chance of viewing a Sky Chanel telecast of a race at Alexandra Park in Auckland in April this year has led to outstanding trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo winning the prestigious group 1 $200,000 Sky Racing WA Derby with Runkle Crunch at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I was watching the race because a mate of mine tipped me a horse in the event,” explained De Campo. “But another horse won and took my eye with his speed. He was Runkle Crunch, who has given me a treacherous time getting him to the track.”
Runkle Crunch, a $12.50 chance from barrier two on the back line in the Derby, was patiently driven by De Campo in fifth position, three back on the pegs, before getting into the clear with 420m to travel and storming home to score a dazzling win, beating $41 outsider Captain Stirling by more than two lengths, with the only filly in the race and the $2.90 favourite Fakenit a fighting third after overracing in the breeze outside the $3.20 second fancy Rumble Strip.
“If you said six weeks ago that this horse was going to win the Derby I would’ve said ‘you’re dreaming,’” said De Campo. “I couldn’t get him right, and I had all sorts of steering gear on him.”
De Campo said that Runkle Crunch looked really sharp, and he was impressed when the Captain Crunch gelding sprinted the final 400m in 27sec. and rated 1.56.1 in getting up to beat Iron Brigade by a head in a 2200m event at Alexandra Park on April 11.
“Runkle Crunch was owned by John Green, who is a mate of my Dad (Andrew), and Dad rang John and brokered a deal, with John retaining a half share in the pacer, who is now co-owned by Geoff Lawler, Paul Poli, Peter Bloxsome, Glen Boyd, Howard King and Greg Mason.
“I have had a heap of problems with Runkle Crunch, and I have finally got him right. I had a Murphy Blind and all kinds of gear on him (including steering bits, a pole, a rein burr, removable deafeners, a one-legged spreader and a tongue tie).
“I thought he had steering problems because he raced the other way (clockwise) over there (in New Zealand), but wen I spoke to his New Zealand trainer he advised me to take most of the gear off him and put Dolly Vardon blinkers on him to keep him concentrated, and since that, at his past three starts, he has got around the track brilliantly.”
De Campo said that racing thee back on the pegs has always been a very good position, particularly over 2500m. “Once the lead time (a fast 66.5sec.) popped up there was no better spot than three back on the pegs,” he said.
When Chase Me was eased off the pegs from behind the frontrunning Rumble Strip 950m from home Runkle Crunch then moved forward to follow the leader before De Campo got him off the inside towards the end of the back straight. “I got a perfect run, and everything worked well for us,” said De Campo, whose previous victory in the WA Derby was with Handsandwheels in 2017.
Runkle Crunch has now earned $182,587 from five wins and one second from 16 starts. He won at four of his eleven starts in New Zealand, and his five WA starts have produced the Derby win, a ninth and three fourths.
He is by American sire Captain Crunch and is the third foal out of Mach Three mare Marcy Runkle, who was retired after winning once from three starts as a three-year-old in 2017. Marcy Runkle’s first foal is The Beaudster, who has raced 48 times for eight wins, 18 seconds and nine thirds for stakes of $95,348. He has placed at three of his five New Zealand starts, and his eight wins have been in WA.
While all honours on Friday night were with Runkle Crunch, Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green’s Captain Crunch colt Captain Stirling produced a remarkable effort to finish second.
Captain Stirling, a $41 chance, began speedily from out wide at barrier seven and dashed forward, three wide, to be third after 500m. But with Fakenit pulling hard in the breeze, Egerton-Green had little option but to restrain the colt back to last in the field of twelve. He was still last at the bell before making up ground along the inside and sustaining a splendid finishing burst.
