As we all know racing can be a particularly tough game and there is no doubt that there are many more lows than highs, however in some cases the highs are so good they make it all worthwhile.
This was the case when Ambridge broke its Maiden at the Lismore Christmas meeting for Terry Commerford. Whilst the win itself is newsworthy it is the back story that gives this result such a good feel.
Ambridge was selected as an unraced 3yo by Commerford from an Aquis draft in an online sale in May 2020. The horse had originally been earmarked to race in Hong Kong but the report from Aquis was he was still too immature to handle the Asian mecca and his owners had decided to move him on.
The report could not have been more accurate because when he arrived in Grafton Ambridge still looked like an early a 2yo. With a slow preparation and plenty of patience he was ready for a trial by August, he went pretty good running a solid second after leading and the camp was cock-a-hoop with their unraced prospect.
It was after that as it so often happens in racing that plans started to unravel.
Whilst parading before he first start scheduled start at Grafton in late August 2020 he reared dislodging Brooke Stower it looked like an innocuous fall however the screams of agony coming from Stower quickly showed it was far from that. Eventually Stower was diagnosed with a broken back and was forced to have 12 months out of the saddle.
Commerford immediately put Ambridge in the paddock reckoning his out of character behavior was a sure sign he was ready for a break.
When he returned to work Ambridge developed a knee issue that required surgery resulting in his next trial not being until May 2021. Again he showed promise and headed off on a tough campaign running in the strongest maidens over the Grafton and Coffs Cup Carnivals his best performance was a strong second in the Big Maiden on Grafton Cup Day. It is fair to say that his own immaturity was not helping him as he was doing plenty wrong in his races so back the paddock he went albeit winless.
This preparation Ambridge resumed with a luckless third at Grafton again pretty much by his own hand.
Commerford had always said once he was confident Ambridge was showing enough race day manners Brooke Stower would get the call to ride him. That day came at Lismore when Stower reunited with the horse that robbed her of a year of her career and whilst one win will never give her that year back it was fitting Stower was the one to finally win a race on her nemesis. It was not lost on anyone the significance of the event.
Commerford has stuck with Stower for Ambridge’s next run at Coffs Harbour today as he dips his hoof in the till for a shot at the Country Championships.
Given that today is Brooke Stower’s birthday just maybe there will be an extra present, no one would begrudge her that.
Brooke Stower all smiles after her win on Ambridge.
