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New Paper
6 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Getting up to Southern Speed
Kuala Lumpur racing fans are in for 13 races, including three features - the Four-Year-Old Sprint Championship, the Charity Cup and the Korea Racing Authority Trophy. If anything, the programme on offer says it is worth the trek to the Selangor Turf Club in Sungai Besi on June 15. A pity if you cannot make it as there are several exciting races on the card. And, as a sort of preview, some of the runners with assignments on the undercard were out strutting their stuff on the training track on the morning of June 11. Impressive among them were the quartet of Southern Speed, Lim's Fuji, Written Towin and Pacific Snoopy. All came away with flying colours. Especially Southern Speed. Entered in Race 3, the Richard Lim-trained-and-owned galloper worked like a winner, clocking a smart time of 38.8sec for the 600m trip. That workout told us that he is holding that last-start winning form. Flashback to June 1 and Southern Speed put up a dogged front-running show, leading from the get-go to hold off Healthy Baby. He took the race by the narrowest of margins - a nose. It was his fourth win and his first at his new home up north. Although already a seven-year-old, this son of I Am Invincible still manages to reinvent himself as a lion when on a racetrack. Yes, he looks good for back-to-back wins and, with winning jockey Troy See retaining the ride, Southern Speed looks like a good one to get the ball rolling early on June 15. Although Lim's Fuji was not out to get into any record books, he tossed in a good workout when clocking 41.2sec for the 600m. A one-time winner at Kranji when under the tutelage of Daniel Meagher, the Foxwedge six-year-old is still looking to break through for a first Malaysian victory. Now with Lawson Moy, he has a second-place finish to his name. That was in a race on March 9 when he went down by three parts of a length to Red Sun. His form then seemed to take a dip but his connections would have been pleased with his last-start effort when third to Pacific Sonic over the 1,200m. Moy has entered him for a 1,700m race on June 15. It will be his first attempt over the trip but given the fact that he likes to come off the pace in his races, the longer trip might be just what he wants. So hang around for Race 13. It might be worth your while. Earlier on June 15, in the 11th event on the day, mark down Pacific Snoopy as a mare to follow. She worked up a storm on the training track, clocking a swift 37.5sec for the 600m. From trainer David Kok's yard, the Hellbent five-year-old showed a return to form when running third to Paletas at her last start on May 25. Ridden by Oscar Chavez, she did not have any luck in the running and was obliged to race wide for most of the 1,150m trip. A Malaysian winner over the 1,020m on March 1, she has to negotiate the 1,400m on June 15, which should not pose any problems as she has won over the trip. That was at Kranji on Jan 20, 2024 when ridden by Vlad Duric, she came off fourth spot at the top of the Kranji straight to beat Ocean Jupiter by half a length. She is looking for her third career win and with star jockey Wong Chin Chuen flying in from his Seoul base for the ride, she will have loads of pals on and off course. On current form, both horse and rider could - by the end of the day's racing - seal those friendships. Then, and also from the training track, there was that 39.2sec run turned in by Written Towin. From the stables of Nick Selvan, the son of Written By will trot to the start in Race 5. It is another one of those sharp sprints over 1,100m and, going on his previous showings - especially when racing at Kranji - the trip should be right up his alley. Now a four-year-old, Written Towin has been getting close to breaking through for his second success and his first Malaysian victory. So far, and although he has tossed in a second-place finish and three fourth-placed efforts, the win has been elusive - not quite a reflection of his name. To his credit, Written Towin won a trial on May 20. That was over the 1,000m. His last start on May 25, when he finished a well-beaten sixth to Surrey Hills, was over the 1,200m. Selvan will be hoping the drop back in trip to the 1,100m will bring out the best in the sprinter. brian@
New Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Fandi's fearless Sri Pahang eye Malaysia Cup shocker
KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) are hot favourites to retain their Malaysia Cup crown, but Sri Pahang are ready to rip up the script at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday. Led by Fandi Ahmad – a five-time Malaysia Cup winner as a player with KL (1987-89), Pahang (1992) and Singapore FA (1980, 1994) – the Elephants are dreaming of a famous upset. Fandi, who once coached the Southern Tigers in 2012 and 2013, knows exactly what it takes to win silverware. And while the odds are stacked against his team, he's relishing the underdog tag. JDT are unbeaten in domestic competitions this season, have wrapped up the Charity Cup and Super League titles, and are chasing yet another quadruple. But Sri Pahang aren't rolling over. The East Coast side head into the final with momentum, having won their last four league matches to climb to eighth. "Yes, we're the underdogs – and we like that," said Fandi with a grin at the pre-match press conference. "Everyone knows JDT are favourites, but we've prepared well and we're ready to fight." His side will be without Liberian striker Kpah Sherman and Argentine winger Lucas Hidalgo, but they've been working hard behind the scenes — even shifting training to the National Football Development Programme base in Gambang for better pitch conditions. "Our spirit is high. Against a team like JDT, motivation is key. If you let negativity creep in, it's game over. "We've got young players hungry to prove themselves. I've had to rotate the squad to find the right blend, but what matters is their mentality. We respect JDT, but we fear no one." Fandi knows JDT's structure, depth, and discipline make them a formidable force. But he believes finals are not won on reputation. "You switch off for a minute against JDT, and you're punished. "But football is a funny game. Skill isn't enough – it's about desire, sacrifice, and fighting for your teammates. That's what I've told the boys — play for the team, not for yourself." For Fandi, it's not just about tactics. It's about heart. He remembers battling for a place in the senior team as a teenager, and he wants that same hunger from his squad. "I never wasted a chance, and I expect the same from them. We don't carry the pressure JDT do. We're free. No pressure, just fight." Pahang captain Fadhli Shas, once a JDT player himself, knows what they're up against. "JDT are a quality side, no question. Every position, they've got experience and depth. But we've got nothing to lose. We'll fight for every ball and play for the badge," said Fadhli. For JDT, it's about cementing legacy. For Sri Pahang, it's about rewriting theirs. It's been more than a decade since they last lifted the Malaysia Cup. Under Fandi, belief is growing. "I don't know what comes after the final," said Fandi.
