Ambitious Dragon completed a golden night for Waikato Stud with a G1 victory in the Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin on Sunday.  The exciting son of Pins raced away with the 2000m feature for trainer Tony Millard and enterprising jockey Maxime Guyon.

“You get a horse like this just once or twice in a lifetime,” Millard said.  “He’s one of those you just dream about and Maxime rode him an absolute treat.”

Ambitious Dragon (4g Pins – Golden Gamble by Oregon) defeated Xtension (Xaar) and Let Me Handle It (High Chaparral) to improve his record to 6 wins in 11 starts.  “He did everything I asked,” said Guyon who had flown from France for the ride.  “He’s a big favourite and I’m so full of confidence for the future.  I think he’s an international Group 1 horse of the future.”

Millard won the 2000 Hong Kong Derby with Keen Winner and the South African expatriate believes his latest star is a better horse.  “He’s a relaxed, straightforward horse who can really turn it on,” Millard added. “ I had no doubt he would get the Derby distance.”

Ambitious Dragon will now be set for the G1 QE II Cup on May 1.  He was bred by Pat Lowry and was passed in for $47,500 at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale.  

His dam is a half-sister to Recall (Kaapstad) who won five races up to 2400m including the Listed STC Winter Cup.  They hail from the family of G2 Concorde Handicap winner Needuask.

Earlier on the Derby program, Waikato Stud-stud bred and sold Forest Star won for the trainer-jockey combination of Tony Cruz and Jeff Lloyd.  A
Forest Star was a $140,000 Premier Sale buy at Karaka in 2007 for the HKJC.  He is also by Pins and is a half-brother to the Listed New Zealand St Leger winner Ritzy Lady.