Power has Aintree in mind for Ambition after poignant win Beaten favourite in the Foxhunter in March, Burning Ambition returned to action for the first time since that Cheltenham eighth placing to win the open at Templenacarriga point-to-point in Cork on Sunday. With 19-year-old Jack Hendrick aboard in a novice riders event, Burning Ambition led two out before holding off Declan Queally's classy hunter chaser Fenno's Storm by half a length. It was a bitter-sweet success for handler Pierce Power who unexpectedly lost a good friend with the death of Keith Dalton just after Christmas. "Keith and myself were great pals.  We worked at Ballydoyle together for a couple of years and we stayed friends ever since," explained the Hook peninsula trainer, who dedicated the win to Dalton. "There was a group of us that used to pal around together in those Ballydoyle days and we've all stayed friends ever since. "He'll be sadly missed by all of us as he was a great character.  He was a smashing chap and a guy that always had a smile on his face and if your were around him he'd always put you in good form. "The horse won on Sunday and it was only the previous Sunday that we buried Keith.  It was nice that the horse was able to do something for him.  I think he might have been looking down on us." Reflecting on the seasonal bow of his stable star, Power stated: "Going down there I knew that Declan's horse was probably going to be the one to beat after winning the Tetratema last year and finishing second in Fairyhouse. "He's a proper staying hunter chaser and though he wasn't a hundred percent ready, we weren't either, and luckily enough we came out on the right side of it. "It was a novice riders open and Jack had schooled for me and he's a smashing chap.  He rides really well.  He came out of William Codd's place, so he had plenty of grounding.  He's in with a good man now too in Cormac Doyle. "Jamie Codd recommended him to me — he's a chap you'll be hearing plenty more about.  He's well able to ride and he comes from the same part of the country as Jamie, being a Mayglass man. "Jack said he was going so well that he let him fly on at it (two out).  He's brilliant to jump but I'd suppose at the back of the last he just got tired and he blew up which he was entitled to do. "It'll bring him on a ton as we left plenty on him to work on, and with him being a bit older now he's getting a little bit cuter too." Looking to the future Power added: "A hunter chase in Thurles could be next but that'll all be dictated by what the weather does. "He's so big — well over 17 hands — at this stage of the season you certainly won't see him on any kind of ground that is quick or good anyway.  We don't want to do anything stupid to him. "If we don't go there, it's not the be all and end all, we can try and find another point-to-point somewhere else. "He'll get an entry at all the festivals but we're looking towards Aintree, as the trip, ground and track should suit him ideally — a flat track and two miles five. "He jumps so well so hopefully he won't mind the fences too much.  I'd suppose you never know until they tackle them but that's the plan anyway."
