Racing: Guineas star off to Hong Kong

Wairarapa stallion Towkay was credited with his first group race winner when the exciting Ambitious Owner took out the $60,000 Wellington Thoroughbred Breeders' Guineas (1500m) at Otaki.

Towkay, whose oldest stock are four-year-olds, went close to another notable success on the same programme on Saturday when his daughter, Rapid Kay, ran third in the group one Captain Cook Stakes.

Towkay, who stands at Little Avondale Stud, is a son of Last Tycoon and is a half-brother to Danasinga and Cullen, both of whom have enjoyed fine starts to their stud careers.

After Saturday's results it looks like Towkay, who has moved to seventh on the sires' premiership for the season, is heading the same way.

Ambitious Owner, who has always been highly regarded, showed marked improvement on his Hawke's Bay Guineas sixth when he produced a powerful finish to win the guineas by three-quarters of a length from the favourite Shastri with Cheval De Troy a sound third.

The addition of blinkers is credited with Ambitious Owner's marked improvement. Trainer Murray Baker said the horse was very hard to get a line on as he didn't do much on the track.

"He has a lovely temperament but is so laid back," Baker said.

"He wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding in his trackwork. The blinkers have made him run a bit sharper."

Ambitious Owner was recording his second win from four starts and emerged as a leading chance for the $300,000 Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 10.

The Hong Kong-owned three-year-old may have only two more starts in New Zealand before heading to Hong Kong to continue his racing career.

His other likely mission after the Riccarton group one classic is the $200,000 Levin Classic (former Bayer Classic) over 1600m at Otaki on November 25, a race which has been won by so many champion three-year-olds on their way to future greatness in the past.

Ambitious Owner is raced by businessman Johnson Lam. The horse was purchased as a weanling on his behalf by Wairarapa bloodstock agent Bruce Perry, who races a couple of horses in partnership with Lam's son Anderson.

Perry purchased two horses for Johnson Lam. The other, a Marju gelding, had also shown exceptional promise for Baker but has been sent to Hong Kong unraced. He will join Paul O'Sullivan's stable.

Ambitious Owner was bred by Perry's father Herrick from the Take Your Partner mare Make Up. The latter won three races from the Baker stable and is also the dam of the talented Tenjuberrymud.

Herrick Perry sold Make Up for just $1600 a couple of years ago and the mare is now owned by Richard Cottle of Shannon in the Manawatu. He made a quick return when he sold the Al Akbar yearling colt Make Up was carrying at the time for $10,000.

He has subsequently bred a Pupil colt from Make Up and has sent her back to Towkay.

Ambitious Owner was ridden yesterday by Leith Innes who has always had a high opinion of the horse and said he won easier than it looked.

"I was easing up on him at the line and I didn't have to punish him to get there," Innes said.

Shastri, who had made all the pace, looked set for another win until Ambitious Owner produced a powerful finish through the middle to take the honours.

"I thought he was home," Shastri's rider Lisa Cropp said. "It was still a good run and he tried his heart out."

Cheval De Troy battled well for third and rider Mark Du Plessis said he was looking for more ground.

He looks certain to get his chance to prove his rider right as his campaign is being aimed at the New Zealand Derby and trainer Colin Jillings has ruled out a trip to Christchurch for the Two Thousand Guineas.

But Jillings said the three-year-old may possibly return to Otaki for the Levin Classic, where he would clash again with his conqueror on Saturday.

The filly La Sizeranne was a gallant fourth after being caught three wide most of the way after drawing badly. She will be heading south for the $275,000 One Thousand Guineas (1600m) on November 6.

Saturday's meeting was transferred last week from Trentham to Otaki because of rain the in capital and the firm racing surface showed the club has made the right decision.

- NZPA