Racing: No success but no regrets

Michael McNab, (left), rides Enzo's Lad. Photo / Marty Melville

That was the story of Enzo's Lad rare New Zealand assault on the iconic Royal Ascot meeting outside London today, with the Kiwi sprinter second last in the 500,000 pound King's Stand Stakes.

The race saw Blue Point outsprint Battaash in the same quinella at last year, the pair about 10 length clear of the battling Canterbury sprinter.

Up against some of the world's best sprinters, Enzo's Lad was off the bit at the half way mark but stuck to his guns gamely, outclassed but brave.

And while no horse trainer likes losing, Michael Pitman was realistic about what had just unfolded.

"These are very, very good horses, some of the best in the world," said Pitman.

"It didn't help when the rain came today and affected the track because he likes it rock hard.

"So yeah, we are disappointed he couldn't finish in the first half of the field but we aren't disheartened.

"We are thrilled we came and the owners have had the time of their lives.

"So there are no regrets," says Pitman, who has been fighting cancer for a year, with a recent positive prognosis.

The rain that arrived to dampen the tracks but hardly the enthusiasm on the opening day of Ascot is likely to mean Enzo's Lad, only the second New Zealand-trained horse to race at the Royal meeting in the modern era, won't race there again.

"He has been entered for the Diamond Jubilee on Saturday but unless the track dries out a lot we will bypass that.

"He just isn't the same horse on anything wet." But that doesn't mean an end to Enzo's Lad campaign in England, with the July Cup at Newmarket on July 13 the new target should he miss Saturday.