Ashburton win the perfect birthday salute for Big Norm
Dennis Ryan - Raceform • March 1st, 2025 9:30 AM
From Australia, from the Far North, the Deep South and all points in between they came to salute one of racing’s good guys, Norm Stewart, at Ashburton racecourse last weekend.
Known as Big Norm to his legion of mates, health issues have made recent times pretty tough on the Ashburton farmer, but when the word went out that he and his family were organising a 60th birthday bash on the weekend of the local dual-code weekend, they arrived in droves.
Amongst the estimated 300 were Mike Kneebone, New Zealand Bloodstock’s man in Sydney, Ashburton expat and now successful Melbourne jockey Daniel Stackhouse, former commentator Tony Lee, and northern trainers Lance Noble and Chris Gibbs, but the star of the entourage turned out to be veteran Hastings horseman Patrick Campbell.
He and the birthday boy have been mates for the best part of two decades, during which time they’ve gone racing together just about everywhere. They’ve raced numerous horses in partnership, the best of them hardy middle-distance performer Hunta Pence, whose 83 starts from 2015 to 2023 produced 11 wins headed by the Manawatu, Wanganui, Foxton and Taupo Cups.
Lately they’ve had to make do with a handful of essentially under-performing maidens, but it was one of them, multiple placegetter La Dulcin’ee, that they turned to in the hope of a double layer of icing on the birthday cake.
“It must have been more than a month ago when Norm rang me to say he had a birthday party being planned on the same day as the Ashburton races and he ran the idea past me to bring La Dulcin’ee down,” Campbell recounted on Monday.
“I wasn’t so sure it was such a good idea – she’s not the easiest and a trip all the way from Hastings down to Ashburton might be pushing our luck.”
La Dulcin’ee, a five-year-old by Per Incanto, had been placed several times for her Cambridge owner-breeder Bob Emery before losing form and being offered for lease to Campbell. Signed over to her trainer, Norm and octogenarian stable rouseabout Dean Smith, she finished fourth, third and then second in her first three starts from new quarters. Another second at Wanganui on January 20 was the green light to proceed with the Ashburton venture.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous before a race; there was a lot riding on it with everyone there for Norm’s birthday,” admitted Campbell, whose many credits in half a century of training include star 1980s filly Burletta and 1990s colt Avedon.
“On paper she looked the winner, although the track was a worry after a fair bit of rain, but I needn’t have worried, she bolted in.
“In all my years I’ve never had as big a thrill as that, to pull it off, seeing the smile on Normy’s face and what it meant to him, his wife Leanne and their family, everyone.
“I have to admit I had a tear in my eye too, but it was worth it – he’s a legend, so popular, I was absolutely rapt for him.”
The big weekend had kicked off the day before at the dual code venue’s Ashburton Trotting Club meeting. With the party marquee already in place, the early arrivals led by Ruakaka trainer Chris Gibbs set up a fund-raising auction for the Ashburton Community Hospice.
“A few of us were talking and we came up with the idea to get some auction items together,” Gibbs said. “The biggest seller was a pair of signed silks that Scott Seamer wore when he won the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double on Ethereal.
“They went for $1,800, other merchandise and items like rides on the mobile start vehicle also sold well, and all up we managed to raise $5,500 for the hospice, which was great.”
As for the guest of honour, whose time in racing includes several years on the committee and an Ashburton Racing Club sponsor, he couldn’t have wished for more on his special weekend.
“Not everyone we invited could make it, but we still had a massive turnout of family and friends, so many people who have been part of our lives.
“Kneebone told me had the choice of Blue Diamond Day at Caulfield or Ashburton, so he made the right call, and Stacky (Daniel Stackhouse), whose family are our back neighbours across the river, was on the last flight out of Melbourne after riding at Caulfield on Saturday.
“The idea was to get together, enjoy each other’s company and have fun, and we sure did that. My old mate Felix (Campbell) made the day, I put the pressure on him and he delivered – brilliant!”
“Before he headed home I told him his next mission was Trentham on Oaks Day. There’s a race there that I reckon might suit the mare, so we’ll see if they can do it again!”
Picture at the Top of the Page: A jubilant Norm Stewart (right) shares the moment with good mates Mike Kneebone, Patrick Campbell and Tony Lee. Photo: Supplied
