Ambitious Dragon & Better Than Ever Fly the Karaka Flag

New Zealand and Waikato Stud celebrated yet another top line success with Ambitious Dragon continuing his hot run of form to win the HK$6,000,000 HK-1 Mercedes Benz Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) last night at Sha Tin.

Trained by Anthony Millard, Ambitious Dragon (Pins x Golden Gamble) has won five of his six starts this campaign, including the last three in a row, culminating in last night's feature race. With many of last night's runners heading for the Group 1 Hong Kong Derby, Ambitious Dragon was more than impressive beating a stellar line up in one of the most important lead up races of the season for the HK Derby.

An astute purchase, the Hong Kong Jockey Club went to $420,000 to secure the half-brother to Ambitious Dragon by the boom sire High Chaparral at Lot 340 of this year's Karaka Premier Sale. He will be offered at the HKJC's International Sale in March 2012.

"We were very pleased to come away from the Karaka Sales with the High Chaparral colt. He is a little lighter boned than some of the yearlings in the Sale, but he's a real European-type horse who looks a great Derby prospect," said Mark Richards from the HK Jockey Club just after the Sale.

"His half-brother Ambitious Dragon has won four of his five starts this season and looks to be a very good horse. We are hoping that this colt will come out and do the same."

The son of Pins has now earned over HK$5.1 million in stakes and has won five of his ten starts. Raced now by Johnson Lam Pui Hung, Ambitious Dragon was bred by Pat Lowry and was passed in at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale for $47,500.

Meanwhile in Singapore, Better Than Ever (French Deputy x Songfest) has started his all important autumn campaign in style with a strong performance in the $200,000 Sgp-3 Three Rings Trophy (1400m) at Kranji last night.

The Laurie Laxon-trained champion did however give his legion of fans a scare when he was headed in the straight by Merchant (Fubu) who put in a strong bid down the outside. However, Better Than Ever was not to be undone, digging deep and racing away in the final furlong and easing down at the line to win by two lengths.

The win has seen Better Than Ever claim back-to-back titles in the Three Rings Trophy, a good start for the campaign that will see him head to Dubai for the coveted Group 1 Dubai Duty Free over 1800 metres.

Singapore trainer Laurie Laxon will likely aim the four-year-old at the Sgp-3 Polytrack Mile Championship (1600m) on March 13 before he heads to Dubai.

Better Than Ever has now won 12 of his 13 starts for his owner Tang Weng Fei. The son of French Deputy was bought by Laurie Laxon from Blandford Lodge at the 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $80,000 and has now won over $1.5 million in stakes earnings.

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates also notched up a further ten wins in Asia over the weekend with Pins siring another winner, and young sires Thorn Park and Lucky Owners also registering success.