Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Outstanding Capel trainer-reinsman Aiden de Campo produced Dominus Factum in wonderful condition for his return to racing after an eleven-month absence in the 2130m Garrard’s, Service With Integrity Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Victorian-bred six-year-old was a $9.80 chance from the inside of the back line, and De Campo was quite content to race in fifth position, three back on the pegs while the speedy Lamandier ($9) was setting a brisk pace, with Rupert Of Lincoln ($9) in the breeze, Burghley Shard ($4.20) trailing the leader and Firerockfireroll ($6) in the one-out, one-back position.
Dominus Factum got off the inside 600m from home and he sustained a strong burst, out wide, to get up and win by a half-neck from the fast-finishing $51 outsider Machlani, rating 1.56.5, with final quarters of 28.6sec. and 29.7sec. The $2.70 favourite Post Game faded from sixth at the bell to finish tenth.
“Dominus Factum did a small ligament in his fetlock,” explained De Campo. “He needed only a month or two to get over the injury. But he’d had a lot of racing as a young horse and hadn’t had a really good spell. So, I elected to give him eight months off.
“He has great gate speed, and he has done a very good job, winning 17 races (plus 12 placings from 54 starts and earning $151,308).” His main win has been in the Group 3 Chandon Classic in July 2022. He is by American Ideal and is the second foal out of Nikkis Delight, who raced 77 times for nine wins, 18 placings and $55,563.