2016 Camden Classic Form Guide

HEAT 1

RED - Brian Wilson 20m
Steve Butler trained teenager who ran 2nd on debut in the 120m Port Adelaide Gift. Has a 400m PB of 49.10secs recorded in March. Has run a couple of 300’s with the SAAL but yet to run a 400m. Most recently ran 50.59secs for 400m at ASA interclub on 30th January 2016.
Should be competitive but unlikely to advance to the final.

WHITE – Harry May 22m
Previous finalist on two occasions – 2012 (48.23s off 20m) and 2013 (48.83s off 20m). Only managed 5th in his Camden heat last year running 52.8secs. Seems to be in better shape this year having run 4th in the Bay Sheffield 550m (1-11.19 off 20-m) then last week he ran
1-50.88 for 800m at the Hunter Track Classic. Favourite for this heat.

BLUE – Connor Verrall 23m
Has been in the mix in a few 300’s this season including a 3rd in the 300m Open at Brighton. Last SAAL start he ran 7th in the 300m at Marion. In 2 previous Camden Classics he hasn’t made it past the heat stage, but with a 3m lift and a year older, he will be around the mark.

YELLOW – Bradley Harvey 24m
Teenager who had his first start for the season at Marion where he finished a fair way back in the 300m. Then ran in an Under 20’s 200m heat at Tea Tree Gully running about a second slower than he did last year. He’s still young and not ready for this.

GREEN – Shane Ezard (Vic) 27m
Last year’s Camden Classic 3rd place getter (48.49s off 27m), he is running OK in Victoria but just a fraction off the pace in terms of being a genuine winning chance. Ran 2nd in a heat of the Yarra Ranges 300m (33.47s off 20m). Now 42yo, hard to see him improve on last year but a tough competitor who will make them work hard to catch him.

BLACK – Robert Kane 34m
Best result this season was winning the 550m at Port Adelaide although it was a depleted field. He was 4th in the Sacred Heart 400m (48.98s off 30m) and goes forward 4m which is surprising given his Sacred Heart result. The lift catapults him into contention, although his speed might be an issue.

PINK – Matthew Cousins 40m
Won the 2005 Camden Classic. Last start won the Over 35’s 550m at Tea Tree Gully. In reasonable race condition but this will take his best form and that past him by a few years ago.

Selections – May, Ezard, Kane


HEAT 2

RED – Sam Russell 18m
Former state 400m champion who ran a tidy 48.49secs at ASA on 31st October 2015. He was 5th in the 2014 Camden Classic (48.09s off 20m). Last SAAL start he was a fast-finishing 2nd in the Tea Tree Gully 800m then last week he ran 49.41s for 400m at interclub. Appears to be in good enough shape to run them down.

WHITE – Hayden Rothe 21m
In 2015 he recorded a couple of very good runs off scratch in the under 20’s – 51.5s at Pulteney in March then 52.32s at Sacred Heart in November. Warmed up for this with an eye-catching 2nd in the 300m at Marion (36.16s off 18m). Ran 2nd in his Camden heat last year and seems ready to go to make his first Camden final.

BLUE – Ollie Wurm (Vic) 23m
Former national junior 400m champion who has been a long way from that sub 48secs shape for a number of years. Only managed 5th in a heat of the 400m Ringwood Gift (47.96s off 26m) on a synthetic track. Before that he only ran 48.1 off 24m in a heat of the 400m at Wangaratta. Recent form makes him hard to recommend for a Classic.

YELLOW – Stephen Alexander 24m
Biggest win was the 2012 Bay Sheffield 550m. He hasn’t had an SAAL start since the 2014 Bay Sheffield 550m. Last Camden Classic appearance was 2014 where he ran 3rd in his heat 48.99s 0ff 22m). Another athlete with no recent form to recommend.

GREEN – Robert Killmier 26m
He was 2nd in the Camden Classic Consolation last year after running 2nd in his heat. Best result was 2nd in the 2013 Camden Classic (48.48s off 26m) behind Matt Hargreaves so the mark is right if he’s in best shape. However he was a fair way from the heat winner in the Marion 300m which suggests he’s still got a way to go.

BLACK – Neil Brennan (Vic) 33m
Well performed athlete with a string of major wins to his name including a Stawell 550m. Was the best of the Vics at Rye where he ran 4th in the 400m final (48.42s off 33m). Last week he ran 3rd in a heat of the 300m at Yarra Ranges. Going OK, just a question mark about his speed for a fast run quarter mile at Camden. But from a stable with a good record here, so we can expect him to be ultra-competitive.

PINK – Nickolas Berry 40m
Fell at the 180m mark in the Marion 300m final, so forget that run. His most recent 400m run at Sacred Heart, he ran 3rd in his heat (51.7s off 34m). Big step up in class here.

Selections – Rothe, Russell, Brennan



HEAT 3

RED – Bryce Watkins 15m
Four-time finalist including 4th in 2014 (47.93s off 14m). Missed the race last year. He was running on from the back in the 550m at the Bay Sheffield, finishing 7th. Ran 48.81secs at ASA interclub on 9th January. In best form would be a huge chance but hard to gauge how close he is to best shape. But the 48.8 suggests he is not far away. Rough chance.

WHITE – Royce Rondello 20m
First year runner yet to make a final. Was a fair way back over 200m at Tea Tree Gully. The outsider of this heat.

BLUE – Deng Bulabek 23m
Finalist (6th) off this mark in 2015, he’s back to try and emulate his stablemate’s win last year. Impressive in winning the 300m at Marion although he does meet the other placegetters worse off here. He ran 3rd in the Sacred Heart 400m to Jack Harvey (48.78s off 23m). If he shows the same aggression from that start as he did at Marion, he’s definitely a top 6 chance again. The value in this heat is in the 195cm Kenyan born athlete in blue.  

YELLOW – Matthew Sinclair 23m
Runs too infrequently to get a real feel for where he is at. Was a very good junior but has yet to progress to any great heights at open level. He ran 4th in the 550m Novice at Tea Tree Gully. (1-15.22 off 38m) but was a fair way from the winner. His last visit to Camden was in 2013 where he only managed a heat time of 52.34s off 21m. Something similar to 2013.

GREEN – Josh Dawkins 26m
Still a novice in the 300m to 600m category but always looks like he will break through soon. Was a very competitive 2nd place in his heat last year to just miss the Camden final (48.99s off 24m). Struggled in his heat of the 550m at the Bay Sheffield carnival. Will be in the contest for a long way but hard to see him improve on last year.

BLACK – Ryan Hage (Vic) 33m
Won the 800m at the Bay Sheffield then finished 3rd in the 550m (1-11.02 off 44m). Recently ran 4th in a heat of the Wangaratta 400m (48.51s off 35m) and 8th in the Rye 400m final (48.8 off 33m) behind another Camden contender in Neill Brennan. Bay 550m run suggests he is not without a chance.

PINK – Robert Keenan (Vic) 37m
Three-time finalist with a best result of 3rd in 2012 (48.64s off 35m). 400m appears to be his pet distance and is always around the mark. No recent form of note but that shouldn’t diminish his chances. He was 5th (48.75s) last year and off the same mark will be in the mix again.

Selections – Bulabek, Keenan, Hage


HEAT 4

RED – Dylan Stenson 10m
Runner-up last year (48.46 off 12m) when he may have left his run too late last year as he was storming home and only just missed. Appears to be in best shape recording a 400m PB of 47.70s (9th Jan). Then last week ran a 1500m in 3-51.53. Despite the 2m penalty, he is probably the nominal favourite for this year’s Classic.

WHITE – Michael Brusnahan 21m
First 400m run in the SAAL. He did run run 50.22secs at the SA State champs back in February. But compared to his 100/200m times, he tends to struggle over this distance out at SANTOS stadium, hovering around the 51.5sec mark this season. Recently ran 22.05s (W +1.5) for 200m. He would need be to going better than the 51’s he’s running at the moment..

BLUE – Sam Osmond 22m
2015 Bay Sheffield winner actually started off winning open events with a 400m at Brighton in 2011. He hasn’t been beyond 200n in the SAAL since he was 7th (55.13s off 20m) in a heat of the Hectorville Under 20’s 400m back in 2014. Not the sort of race where you would like to be having your first one lap sprint for the season.

YELLOW – Kostya Khudoshin 23m
Hitting form at the right time with a win in the Tea Tree Gully 800m after running 2nd in the Bay Sheffield 800m. He ran 2nd to Robert Spencer in 2014 (47.39s off 24m) so we know he can run sub 48secs off his mark. He ran 2nd in his heat last year (off 21m) and surprisingly goes forward 2m as he hasn’t run a 400m since. Another half-miler with a chance.

GREEN – Hamish Adams (Vic) 25m
Very promising Victorian junior who ran 2nd in the 400m Backmarkers at Stawell (46.42s off 31m). Has been pulled back to 25m in the VAL and is struggling to make finals. Ran 10th in the 400m final at Rye. Ran 3rd in his Ringwood Gift heat (47.9s off v25m) on a synthetic track. First run at Camden and on recent form it’s hard to see him get past the heat.

BLACK – Joshua Biggs 30m
Won the 550m Novice at Port Adelaide in November albeit on a more a generous handicap than he has here.  Last 400m start he ran 4th off 30m in 49.66secs at Henley in October. Still a fair way off the pace for a Classic.

PINK – Jarrad Dartnall  34m
Five-time finalist who switched stables over the winter but is yet to show any form to suggest he could make a sixth final. Up 1m from his mark in 2015 when he ran 7th (49.76s off 33m). He hasn’t run since the Bay Sheffield carnival where he ran 3rd in a 550m heat off 68m.
Could surprise as he has in the past but recent form suggests it’s unlikely.

No. 1 – Christopher Simpson 40m
Before he got injured he was in pretty good form, running 2nd in the 400m at Sacred Heart. Off 40m last year he only managed 4th in his heat in 50.3secs. So expect a similar result.

Selections – Stenson, Khudoshin, Adams


HEAT 5

RED – Clay Watkins Scratch
Last year’s winner off the shortest mark in Camden history (6m) in 48.40s. He is in very good form having recorded 47.05secs on 9th January and 21.49secs for 200m on 30th January which was his fastest 200m for five years. He is entered for the 400m at the ACT championships this weekend, so he will probably scratch from Camden.  

WHITE – Jack Harvey 21m
Won the Sacred Heart 400m (48.39s off 20m) and goes forward a metre. He was 2nd in his 2015 Camden Classic heat (48.68s off 21m) not far off the pace. He also ran 49.52 for 400m on the track recently. So he is in as good as shape as he’s been for a while. Even if he does get beat in this heat he should run quick enough to make his first Camden final.

BLUE – Jonathon Sinclair 22m
Appears to be a fair way off his best finishing a long way back in his 550m heats at the Bay Sheffield (1-16.38 off 32m) and the Mort Daly meet in December (1-16.75 off 32m). He was 6th in a heat of the 300m at Brighton (35.74s off 20m). Form not good enough.

YELLOW – Jake Stangewitz 23m
Three-time Camden finalist including a close 4th last year (48.51s off 23m). Ran superbly to win the 200m at Tea Tree Gully making up a ton of ground in the last 50m. Runner-up in the 550m at the Bay Sheffield beaten a whisker.  4th in the 300m at Marion off only 18m and meets the winner 4m better off. Huge chance and adds massive value to this heat.

GREEN – Tom Snyder 24m
Novice athlete yet to advance to a final. Finished a fair way back in the 400m at Sacred Heart (51.42s off 20m). Has received a 6m lift but needs more than that on recent results.

BLACK – Jack Doderico (Vic) 26m
Warmed up for Camden with a very solid performance last week in the 400m Ringwood Gift (46.36s off 29m) on a synthetic track. Next day he ran 5th in the 550m final at Yarra Ranges. In good form and is one of the better Vic chances.

PINK – Brad Schutz 30m
2012 Camden Classic winner (48.17s off 40m) he has struggled this season. He was only 9th in the 800m at Tea Tree Gully 800m. Scratched from several events due to injury. Last win was the Hectorville 300m in February 2015. Fair to say he was travelling better last season when he was 3rd in his Camden Classic heat (50.84s off 30m). Unlikely.

No. 1 – David Girolamo 40m
A past Ringwood Gift winner, he romped in the 2014 Bay Sheffield 550m, albeit off a generous mark. Struggled at the Bay in December where he only managed 5th in his 550m heat. He did run 5th in the Marion 300m (36.08s off 34m). Will take some catching but probably lacks the speed to mix it here.

Selections – Stangewitz, Harvey, Girolamo