Stakes winner Ambitious Champion (NZ) (Zed) may have been one horse on the radar as a potential LONGINES Hong Kong Vase contender, but trainer Richard Gibson is just hoping his galloper can return to his best down in grade as the seven-year-old prepares for his assignment in Wednesday's (16 November) Class 2 Japan Racing Association Trophy Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley.
As a winner of the HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) in April, Ambitious Champion was thought to be among the leading local contenders for next month's G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), a race that has had only two local winners in its history.
The last three winners of Hong Kong's most prominent staying handicap – Dominant, Bubble Chic and Helene Happy Star – all lined up against the internationals the following December, with Dominant taking the Vase in 2013, but Gibson was quick to suggest there will be no Vase tilt this year for the son of Zed as he aims for something less ambitious.
"I'm always keen to try and place horses where they can win," Gibson said this morning (Tuesday, 15 November). "The Vase every year, the top European Group 1 winners come to Sha Tin and he's not up to that standard. That's not to say he's suited in Class 2 either, though. He's a bit of a victim of his own success, that's the Hong Kong system, he has to carry a lot of weight in Class 2 and it makes life tougher for him."
That said, Gibson is proud of what he has achieved with the horse since he first stepped foot in his yard at the start of last season, and hopes that he will be competitive at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
"He's one of the success stories of the stable," he said. "He's come through the grades well and he did very well to win his Group 3 last season. We've seen his form is better on a softer track, that's why we're going to Happy Valley, a bit more give in the ground. He'll have a shout on Wednesday for sure."
Douglas Whyte takes over the ride from Chad Schofield. -HKJC
As a winner of the HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) in April, Ambitious Champion was thought to be among the leading local contenders for next month's G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), a race that has had only two local winners in its history.
The last three winners of Hong Kong's most prominent staying handicap – Dominant, Bubble Chic and Helene Happy Star – all lined up against the internationals the following December, with Dominant taking the Vase in 2013, but Gibson was quick to suggest there will be no Vase tilt this year for the son of Zed as he aims for something less ambitious.
"I'm always keen to try and place horses where they can win," Gibson said this morning (Tuesday, 15 November). "The Vase every year, the top European Group 1 winners come to Sha Tin and he's not up to that standard. That's not to say he's suited in Class 2 either, though. He's a bit of a victim of his own success, that's the Hong Kong system, he has to carry a lot of weight in Class 2 and it makes life tougher for him."
That said, Gibson is proud of what he has achieved with the horse since he first stepped foot in his yard at the start of last season, and hopes that he will be competitive at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
"He's one of the success stories of the stable," he said. "He's come through the grades well and he did very well to win his Group 3 last season. We've seen his form is better on a softer track, that's why we're going to Happy Valley, a bit more give in the ground. He'll have a shout on Wednesday for sure."
Douglas Whyte takes over the ride from Chad Schofield. -HKJC