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Robert Cameron
Robert Cameron returned to winning form as a reinsman at
Winton yesterday after a break of 2 years.
The 70-year-old Yaldhurst horseman trained and drove Salem to
win the 2yr-old race.
Salem won by a neck from Wicklow, driven by Dexter Dunn, the
18yr-old leading reinsman.
Cameron has driven 1055 winners in New Zealand.
He drove his first winner, Cheerful News, at Wyndham in
November, 1955 when based at Invercargill.
He was the world driving champion in 1983 and topped the New
Zealand premiership for the 1982-83 season.
He has also driven winners in Australia, the United States
and Macau, where he won the world championship.
Cameron returned to race driving at Gore on Saturday when
third with Tim Kelly.
Cameron had not driven in a race since August, 2006 when he
won with Slick Lavra at Oamaru.
That was his only drive in the 2006-07 season. He did not
hold a licence last season.
He was having his first race drive for two seasons when he
handled Slick Lavra.
His previous win had been in Australia and he had not driven
a winner in New Zealand since the 1998-99 season.
Cameron shares the ownership of Salem with Murray Heaps, of
Christchurch.
Heaps bought Salem (by Artesian) in embryo with the mare,
Witch Hunt.
Salem is the first New Zealand winner sired by Artesian, who
took a record of 1.49.4 in the US. Artesian is by Artiscape.
Salem is the 10th foal of Witch Hunt, the dam of winners
Kaimata Get Smart, Kaimata Cover Up and Back In Genes.
Witch Hunt, who qualified as a pacer, is a half-sister by New
York Motoring to several winners including Trident, whose 14
wins including the 1985 Sires' Stakes final for 2yr-olds.
Heaps has raced several horses including Game Nian, a trotter
who won seven races in the late 1980s when trained by Murray
Butt.
•Gear changes for the Reefton meeting today.-
Race 1: Sea Spray Cindy - side blind.
Race 2: Polly Joe - hood and pole, no murphy blind; Motu
Speedy Star - ear plugs; Ranfurly Day - pull down
blinds.
Race 3: Live and Triumph - ear plugs; Have A Cigar - no hood;
David Dillinger -hood, figure8, rubber joiners on hopples;
Maturity - elastics, no ear plugs.
Race 4: Daisy's Lavra - no removable hood.
Race 5: The Pacing Priest - no boring pole; Patchwork Star -
hood.
Race 6: Wrong Way Lannigan - half prickers; Mason - shadow
roll; Tena O'Brien - figure8; Fittler - removable ear
plugs.
Race 7: Bluegum Motel Shines - ear plugs, tongue tie, no
nasal strip; Cambo - rein pricker; Lively Kiteen - no murphy
blind; Niraadi - boring pole.
Race 8: Barnetts Dream - removable ear plugs.
Race 9: Dreamona's Lady - no nose flap; Town N Around -
figure8.
Race 10: Brite Autumn - running overcheck rein pole left
side, no pacifier.
