Nine NZB Graduates Unassailable in Asia

Nine New Zealand Bloodstock graduates won on racetracks across Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia over the weekend.

A dominant force in Hong Kong last season, the New Zealand-breds won 41% of races there last season. On Saturday night at Sha Tin Kiwis grabbed six of the ten races, with four of them purchased out of the Karaka sale ring.

Most impressive, and most progressive to many eyes, was the victory of Ambitious Treasure (O'Reilly x The Grin, by Grosvenor) in the On Yam Handicap (1200m).

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�Ambitious Treasure at Sha Tin for his breeze-up ahead of the 2007 Hong Kong International Sale

The full-brother to Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas winner The Jewel �won his second race for the season after a missing the majority of last season with a tendon injury.

Nursed back to his current winning form by trainer Ricky Yiu, Ambitious Treasure took a step up on Saturday night in carrying 131 pounds to victory, eight pounds more than he carried in his previous win in Class 4 two weeks ago.

Apprentice HW Lai again rode the good looking gelding and settled him off the speed on the rail. Ambitious Treasure was asked to come off the rails and make up five lengths on the leaders in the home straight, and the big striding galloper did just that in scoring by a head in the finish.

His effort made serious suggestions that further race distance would be ideal in future and, as a four-year-old full-brother to a filly who placed second in both the New Zealand and Queensland Oaks, his ultimate aim this season looks the Group 1 Mercedes Hong Kong Derby in March.

To make that field the $510,000 Karaka Premier Sale purchase will need to win at least a couple more times this season to gain the necessary rating points.

Ambitious Treasure formed part of the New Zealand draft at the 2007 Hong Kong International Sale. It was at this sale that current owners Lau Wai Kin & Peter Mak Hin Kwan purchased their unbeaten four-year-old for the equivalent of NZ$900,000 from the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Racing in Singapore saw the unbeaten records of both Mexican Rose (Volksraad� x Down View, by Gone West) and Better Than Ever (French Deputy x Songfest, by Unbridled's Song) continue on the Kranji circuit.

Mexican Rose made it four from four in defeating the older gallopers in the S$95,000 Singapore TC Class 2 (1200m) while Better Than Ever completed his three from three in the S$65,000 Graduation Stakes.

Both are owned by Jupiter Stable and trained by Laurie Laxon who will keep the star three-year-olds apart this season with Mexican Rose set to take on the older sprinters while Better Than Ever will take part in the three-year-old Challenge Series.

Both horses brought similar money in the Karaka Sale Ring with Mexican Rose making $80,000 from Chesterfields, and Better Than Ever making $80,000 for Blandford Lodge.

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates won a further six races in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia over the weekend.