Happy Beyond Belief

Jubilant owners in the Te Akau Cups' Syndicate were rewarded for their patience when Chambord (6 g Zabeel - Miss Montjeu, by Montjeu) recorded a richly deserved win in the $30,000 Silvester/Clark Consulting Engineers Handicap over 1200 metres on Saturday at Awapuni.

Runner-up to Atlante (Fastnet Rock) in 2013 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), Chambord, and the owners, have had to contend with time on the sidelines but his return to winning form suggests there still is more to come.

“That was one of the biggest thrills I've had this season and I think he can win Group races,” said David Ellis, who purchased him for $200,000 from the draft of Cambridge Stud at the 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Ellis was not alone in his appreciation of the yearling colt, as Mark Walker had him circled as a pick of the sale and he was also rated as one of the top colts that year by veterinarian Jim Marks.

It was not all beer and skittles in victory for Chambord and rider Michael McNab, as they had to survive a shove from a rival on his inside, near the line, after making their run wide on the track from last in a field of nine.

Had the nose margin not gone his way, it appeared certain that the Stewards would have ruled in his favour.

Chambord ran the 1200 metres in a good quality time: 1:10.2 and paid $5.30 & $2.00 on the tote.

“Steve (Autridge), Jamie (Richards), and all the staff have done a fantastic job in getting this horse back to the winner's stalls, after a frustrating run of setbacks,” Ellis said.

“As a four-year-old he was a favourite for the Coupland's Mile, but hurt himself in his final track gallop before getting on the transport south and so didn't start, and we gave him a good twelve months off.

“He's a really lovely animal, and one of his owners, Sir Patrick Higgins was at the Awapuni races and saw him for the first time today.   So, it was wonderful that he won for him and all his owners.

“He is a bit different to most horses by Zabeel, in that he's more of a sprinter/miler.  He's really sound now, he's been working up super and didn't he really finish it off nicely?”

Although being by Montjeu (Sadler's Wells), his dam Miss Montjeu displayed plenty of dash winning over 1150 metres and certainly past that ability on to Chambord.

“It was bloody good to see him back, really” said co-trainer Jamie Richards.

“He'd been knocking on the door and didn't have a lot of luck in his fresh up run last time at Ellerslie, and even today he was checked at the 600m and got knocked down again at the 100m but he really attacked the line.

“Obviously everybody knows the issues he's had, but he's good and sound now, and hopefully we can get him through to some of the better races around Christmas and New Year.

“It was a lovely ride by Michael (McNab), he's going super, and hopefully we can all keep it going.”

Chambord was strapped by Teina Walters.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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