A dominant win by Ambidexter in Saturday’s Listed Ming Dynasty Quality at Warwick Farm has the Darley team eyeing a third Group One Spring Champion Stakes win in four years.
Ambidexter, a full-brother to Group One winner Skilled, handled his first stakes test when he powered home from back in the field to win the Ming Dynasty (1400m) by half a length running away.
The three-year-old colt settled back with the tailenders as the Patinack Farm-owned Win For Wilson rolled along in front.
Christian Reith tracked topweight Darci Be Good into the straight before angling Ambidexter to the extreme outside as the field set sail for home.
Ambidexter let down strongly to reel in New Zealander Sangster, with Darci Be Good 1-3/4-lengths further back third.
Darley’s head trainer Peter Snowden was in Melbourne for Sepoy’s victory in the Danehill Stakes but stable foreman Brad Widdup confirmed the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) on October 1 was the aim for Ambidexter.
“He’s going to the Spring Champion and he’ll either run in the Spring Stakes at Newcastle or the Gloaming Stakes on the way there,” Widdup said.
“It was a good effort today. Last start (in a Warwick Farm midweeker) we probably rode him upside down but he needed to get a win on the board and today ridden quieter he found the line well.”
Reith said Ambidexter was “only going to get better” as he steps up in journey and gains more experience.
Trainer Trent Busuttin believes there is plenty of improvement in Sangster, who sat second in the run before battling on well to the line.
“There’s improvement in him but there’ll have to be to beat the other horse (Ambidexter),” Busuttin said.
Snowden has trained two of the past three winners of the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) with Sousa successful in 2008 and Erewhon winning last year.
AAP TURF
