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Ambitious Dragon aims to prove the fire still burns in LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

13/12/2014

It is two years since Ambitious Dragon engaged his famous afterburners in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and announced himself to the world as a miler of considerable merit. Two years is a long time in racing though, and even longer when that includes 18 months out of the spotlight.

That is how long Ambitious Dragon was absent from the racetrack after the G1 QEII Cup of April, 2013. Hong Kong’s two-time Horse of the Year showed signs of wear and tear to his near fore tendon after that run, but with appropriate care he returned to work in August that year to prep for a defence of his LONGINES Hong Kong Mile crown. He never made it to December’s race – just as the Pins gelding was gearing up for his seasonal reappearance he suffered a core lesion to a near fore tendon. Ambitious Dragon missed that entire term and only returned to the fray this past October.

Things changed in the time he was away recuperating at Beas River. Glorious Days and Gold-Fun fought out the 2013 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, with the former winning and the latter claiming the Hong Kong Champion Miler garland at season’s end. And a new star emerged, a challenger to Ambitious Dragon’s title of Champion and his status as crowd favourite, the powerhouse Able Friend.

In the meantime, trainer Tony Millard and his team have nursed the former champion back from injury. Now, after a highly promising comeback third in the HKG2 Sha Tin Trophy (1600m) on 26 October, and a solid third to Able Friend in the G2 Jockey Club Mile three weeks ago, the eight-year-old will attempt to regain his title.

But things are rarely simple. Two years ago team Millard had an anxious eve of race drama as their star was found to be lame. A night of patient care and lots of walking loosened the gelding sufficiently to take his chance in the race. The rest is history. This year, drama struck again when Ambitious Dragon was found to have a foot abscess on Tuesday morning. Millard is confident all is okay with one day to go.    

“I’m happy that he’s in the right spot – workwise he’s there,” said the South African. “I’m satisfied that we’ve done enough work with him. I’ve done all my checks on him and I’m confident that he’ll perform. Time is everything and we’ve got time. We’re sitting in a better position than we were two years ago!”

‘The Dragon’ clocked 52.5s for 800m (29s, 23.5s) on Monday, his final gallop prior to the foot issue. He returned to trotting on Wednesday and Thursday, and was out on the track for a final piece of work this morning under his regular rider, the trainer’s wife Beverley.

“We were happy with his work this morning, he did two laps and came back and we trotted him up,” said Millard. “He trotted pretty good after the work, so I’m pretty hopeful. We’ll change the shoe tomorrow and then we’ll get a final go-ahead, it looks pretty positive now.

“Beverley was particularly happy with his work this morning. He did a flying change and nothing was worrying him at all. It’s one of those things, it’s a pain in the butt, but it’s not anything like a ligament. We’ve got to be realistic, and once the horse gets in the race and the blood’s going, he’s going to go for it. He’s a very willing horse.”

To add further drama to the tale, later this morning, Hong Kong Jockey Club vets examined Ambitious Dragon and found him to be moderately lame in his right front foot. All now hinges on Sunday’s vet check.

Able Friend is many people’s idea of Hong Kong’s banker at tomorrow’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, but if Ambitious Dragon does line up, and if he can call upon the prodigious ability of his glory days, the young heir apparent might find the old champ gunning for him down the Sha Tin stretch.

 

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