Waikato Stud sire Pins climaxed a sensational winning weekend when Ambitious Dragon continued his rise up the rankings in the G1 Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday evening.

Ambitious Dragon (4g Pins – Golden Gamble by Oregon) is trained by Tony Millard and was registering his fifth win from six starts this season.  The G1 Hong Kong Derby is now firmly in the sights of Millard and owner Johnson Lam Pui Hung.

Pins sired a feature double in New Zealand on Saturday with Antonio Lombardo (G3 Waikato Stud 2YO Classic) and Icepin (G2 Avondale Guineas).

Ambitious Dragon was bred by Pat Lowry and was passed in for $47,500 at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale.  “He’s just kept improving,” Millard said.  “We had one little hiccup when we got the riding tactics wrong, but he’s a relaxed, straightforward horse who can really turn it on.”

Millard won the 2000 Hong Kong Derby with Keen Winner and the South African expatriate believes his latest star is a better horse.  “I’ve no doubt that he will get the Derby distance.  I’ve looked at his pedigree and there’s enough stamina there.”

Ambitious Dragon is from an unraced half-sister to Recall (Kaapstad) who won five races up to 2400m including the Listed STC Winter Cup.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club went to $420,000 to secure his half-brother by High Chaparral at this year’s Karaka Premier Sale.  He will be re-offered at the HKJC International Sale in March.