Ambassadorial all the way

Ambassadorial scored an emotional all-the-way win at Caulfield on Saturday, February 7.

The winner is owned by Jane Chapple-Hyam and Ann Peacock longtime friends of Tony McEvoy who trains the gelding in partnership with his son Calvin.

Heavily backed from $2.10 into $1.70 favourite, Ambassadorial was taken to the front by jockey Harry Coffey in the Herald Sun Handicap (2000m) and was never really troubled.

The five-year-old cruised home and was eased down late to score by 1-3/4 lengths from Bluestone ($7.50) with Global Eclipse ($8), a quarter of a length away third.

Trainer Tony McEvoy was overjoyed by Ambassadorial’s win.

“It was a really a thrill to train a winner for Jane and Ann,” McEvoy said.

“We go back a long way through my history with the Hayes family and the Sangster family.

“There was also Andrew (Peacock) when he had horses at Lindsay Park, so it is a great joy for us today and the horse was fantastic.”

Part-owner Ann Peacock was delighted to see Ambassadorial win.

“Jane (Chapple-Hyam) is in Abu Dhabi at the moment with a couple of runners,” Peacock said.

“Both of us have the greatest admiration for Tony and Calvin.

“The horse looks beautiful, Harry (Coffey) rode him sensationally but to Tony & Calvin we are so grateful.

“His last run was really frustrating, but everything has been made up, absolutely thrilled.”

Tony McEvoy outlined future plans for Ambassadorial.

“We will go back to Flemington now,” he said.

“There is an (Benchmark) 84 over 2000 metres there in two or three weeks.

“He is just in really good form this fellow.

“He will hold his form, he is very honest and I really enjoyed that today.”

Winning jockey Harry Coffey said Ambassadorial had scored convincingly.

“Today was pretty easy, he was the best horse in the race,” Coffey said.

“There wasn’t a lot of speed on paper. I had an easy time across the back of the hill which is always nice in staying races here.

“I built it (the tempo) along the side. We probably didn’t go exceptionally quick, but it suited him.

“He is a lovely horse to ride, he’s a gentleman and makes my job easy.

“Ambassadorial hadn’t won for a while but his form this time around has been very good and after today’s effort a bit of confidence might get him back rocking.

“He is tough, honest and he tries hard.”