Unique Ambition took on black-type company over a range of distances as a three-year-old last season, but trainer John Sargent believes her first-up win in Saturday’s A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill will be a step towards a successful campaign as a miler. 

The New Zealand-bred daughter of Tavistock was a winner at Newcastle and Scone last season, and she also finished 10th in the Gr.2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m), 10th in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m), eighth in the Gr.3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m), 10th in the Gr.3 James Carr Stakes (1400m) and 16th in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m). 

Unique Ambition had pleased Sargent with her progress leading into Saturday’s four-year-old debut, and she came out and delivered a stylish first-up performance. 

After settling in third for jockey Blake Shinn, Unique Ambition was briefly held up for a run early in the home straight. But Shinn found a way through and Unique Ambition did the rest, quickening impressively to win by a length and a half. 

“Blake gave her a great ride and she’s won well,” Sargent said. “She’s very clean-winded and doesn’t need a lot of work. She just had one easy trial, which is the same as what she did the last couple of times she’s won fresh up. 

“I think she’ll get out to a mile in this preparation. We tried her in the Queensland Oaks as a three-year-old, but she just didn’t see that distance out. I think she’ll be at her best around a mile. 

“We’ll just look to work her through the grades this season and get her some confidence, which got knocked last season on bad tracks and things like that.” 

Unique Ambition was bred by Go Bloodstock and was offered by Curraghmore at Karaka 2022, where DGR Thoroughbred Services and John Sargent Racing bought her for $220,000. From a 10-start career, Unique Ambition has so far recorded three wins and two placings and banked A$159,450. 

The dam of Unique Ambition is the unraced Thorn Park mare Key To Success (NZ), who is a half-sister to the Group Two winner and Group One-placed Lady Kipling (NZ) (Savabeel). Key To Success is the dam of two winners from three foals to race.