Ardrossan 3YO fires winning shot

A well-related son of Ardrossan has wasted no time in adding winning momentum to his three-year-old preparation.

The Tony Pike-trained Cannon Hill, who had placed in his lead-up trial, showed plenty of heart at Matamata on Wednesday afternoon to score over 1200 metres.

He broke quickly to make the running under jockey Sam Spratt and they repelled all challenges in the run home to open his account.

Cannon Hill finished fourth on debut last term at Te Rapa behind subsequent stakes winner Viva Vienna and then ran fifth after a torrid run at Hastings before he was given a break.

He was bred by Waikato Stud who remained in the ownership after Pike secured the colt out of the Matamata nursery’s draft at Karaka for $150,000.

Cannon Hill is the first foal of the unraced Pins mare Vanilla Essence and she is a sister to the Lion Red Plate winner Raid, dam of the dual black type winner Night Raid, from the family of Stratum Star, who claimed a brace of Australia Group One titles.

A brother to Cannon Hill was offered on behalf of Waikato Stud by Sledmere Stud at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where he was purchased by Group 1 Bloodstock for A$260,000 and Vanilla Ice will foal this season to Savabeel.