Ambassadorial has been a revelation since joining the Tony and Calvin McEvoy team.
After starting his career with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, Ambassadorial also had a stint with Alex Rae at Cranbourne before transferring stables again.
Ambassadorial had three wins from 12 starts with Waterhouse and Bott before going winless in eight starts with Rae, although there were of placings at Moonee Valley.
In five starts for the McEvoy father-and-son training team, Ambassadorial has placed in all, with his last three starts all being victories.
Ambassadorial will be out to stretch that sequence on Saturday when he lines up in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m).
An added bonus on top of the $180,000 first prize money cheque, the Mornington Cup provides the winner a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October.
Ambassadorial will break new ground on Saturday as it will be his first shot at 2400m, but his last three wins for the McEvoy’s have all been at 2000m, including the Group 3 Easter Cup in his most recent appearance on April 4.
Calvin McEvoy said Ambassadorial had bounced through that run ‘perfect’ and it was the perfect time to try him at 2400m, especially with the ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup dangling in front of them.
“He’s come through it (the Easter Cup) really well,” McEvoy said.
“He’s come out of it better than he went into it.”
While the rise from 2000m to 2400m can be confronting, McEvoy does not see it posing a problem for Ambassadorial who has risen from benchmark 70 grade to open company this campaign and keeps raising the bar.
“He’s a lovely horse and the test will be the mile-and-a-half and I’m excited to see if he’ll handle it,” McEvoy said.
“(Being at) Mornington, the way he races, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but they gave him 15 points following that win, so there’s nowhere to hide now after winning that Group 3.”
The Mornington Cup has brought together a field of 14, plus four emergencies, all chasing that elusive ‘Golden Ticket’ into the Caulfield Cup.
Last year’s winner Bankers Choice is back again carrying topweight of 60kg, a 3kg rise on last year’s impost.
Others in this year’s field include Brayden Star, American Wolf and Immediacy, all from the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable, along with Easter Cup runner-up Sea What I See.
