Trainer Adam Campton has a happy knack of getting the best out of tried horses and hopes to soon add another to his growing list.
Adam Campton will saddle former Victorian Strategic Position in the Class Six Plate at Doomben on Wednesday and concedes the six-year-old will need the run after a long lay-off.
Strategic Position - Boris Thornton mount - is making his stable debut for Campton after having 18 months off following knee surgery.
"I didn't know his issues before I got him but he's a big heavy horse and needed surgery from wear and tear on his knees," Campton said.
"He's coming along well and I haven't had any problems with him.
"He's had two barrier trials and a jump out but he hasn't raced for a long time so he'll probably need the run.
"But he's a good horse on his day so it wouldn't surprise me to see him run a big race."
Strategic Position was trained by Phillips Stokes in Victoria for most of his career before his owners sent him to Queensland's premier trainer Tony Gollan in search of an elusive metropolitan win.
Gollan's mission was accomplished when the son of Star Witness was successful at Doomben in November, 2022.
Strategic Position had only four starts for Gollan before the gelding underwent surgery after finishing last in a field of nine behind the Bryan Dais-trained Glorious Ruby in a 1000-metre Class Six at Doomben a month later.
Campton wants Strategic Position ridden forward in his return and expects he'll take a lot of improvement after his comeback.
"He'll definitely improve after this run and I'll see how he goes before we decide where to go with him next," Campton said.
Campton is in his second year of training and he's now in charge of a stable of 48 horses at his Gold Coast stables.
Campton is currently striking just over 12 per cent this season with 38 winners and is seventh on the Queensland Provincial Trainers Premiership.
He comes from a family steeped in racing tradition.
His father, Neil, was a Golden Slipper-winning jockey while grandfather Les Coles was a Melbourne Cup winner jockey.
Leading Sydney-based trainer Gerald Ryan is also an uncle of Campton's.
