Vaulting Ambition to make up for lost time

Comeback galloper Vaulting Ambition has been given a chance to add to the folklore of Brisbane’s best form line in a decade when he runs at Doomben.

Vaulting Ambition was a late entry for the Listed Tattersall’s Members’ Cup (1600m) on Saturday.

He won his last start at Doomben three weeks ago, taking his career tally of wins to four from 17 starts but it probably should be more.

Vaulting Ambition carries a form line from a race which has produced some amazing statistics.

At his second race start Vaulting Ambition ran third in a handicap for three-year-olds at Doomben in September, 2015.

He suffered an injury after that race and didn’t run again for 18 months.

In his absence, the other 11 runners went on to prove it an outstanding form race.

Including Vaulting Ambition, the field has now won 67 races and about $3.4 million in prize money.

The winner Too Good To Refuse and runner up Most Important are multiple stakes winners and fourth-placed Man Of His Word won the Listed Brisbane Handicap.

But it doesn’t end there with fifth-placed Counter Meal later winning a Rockhampton Newmarket, sixth-placed Craiglea Wandoo winning 11 races and seventh-placed Mr Epic winning nine races.

Even last-placed Fine Fergus has since won two races.

Trainer Chris Anderson had intended to run Vaulting Ambition in a $70,000 Class 6 at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

“But when they extended nominations I thought why not have a go at the Cup,” Anderson said.

“He was a good winner at Doomben last time, he drops in weight and the 1600m suits.”

Anderson said it was highly unusual for one off-season Brisbane three-year-old race to produce so many more-than-handy horses.

“In some ways we have let the side down but Vaulting Ambition had a long time off and it has taken time to get back to his best,” he said.

“I would love to say he is one of four later stakes winners to finish one, two, three, four in another race.”