Latest news with #RestrictedMaiden
New Paper
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Veteran Big Hearted has not lost the spark
KUALA LUMPUR - Former Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) winner Big Hearted has finally landed his first win in Malaysia, coming from a long way back in the running to take out the RM53,000 (S$16,000) Stayer Stakes A race (1,800m) at Sungai Besi on July 27. The Hallowed Crown son enjoyed a phenomenal rise when trained by Michael Clements at Kranji. He won on debut in Restricted Maiden company in 2019, and kept raising the bar, until he claimed the Singapore Gold Cup at his 12th start on Nov 21, 2020. Big Hearted picked up one win in 2021 but struggled with fitness - and was lightly raced - in the next two years, until his comeback win in a Class 2 race (1,600m) on Jan 20, 2024, which was also his eighth and last win when under the care of James Peters. He was sidelined for eight months, and had two more starts at Kranji, including his last Kranji race in the Singapore Gold Cup on Oct 5, 2024, when he ran unplaced to Smart Star. Big Hearted was transferred to Frank Maynard, but struggled to find his form in four runs for the 2006 Malaysian champion trainer. The Australian-bred was sold to the Team Cheval Stable and placed in the care of two-time Singapore champion trainer Jason Ong. The rising nine-year-old began to show glimpses of his former self with two seconds in three starts. Now, 18 months after his last triumph, Big Hearted showed that he still has what it takes to win. After being caught wide from his outside barrier 9, Big Hearted was dropped back to second last by Jerlyn Seow, who has also ridden him in his last three runs. Up front, Imperial Sabre (Khaw Choon Kit) led by a huge margin, while 2024 Singapore Gold Cup winner Smart Star (Clyde Leck) trailed behind in second. Turning for home, Big Hearted ($21) was switched to the outside by Seow and began looming large. Under a well judged ride from the two-time Singapore champion apprentice, Big Hearted raced past Imperial Sabre with 100m to go. The Lim Shung You-trained galloper held on for second, 1¼ lengths away, beating Haleeda (Mohd Zaki) into third. The winning time was 1min 50.8sec for the 1,800m on the long course. "He (Big Hearted) lived up to his name," said Ong's apprentice. "The horse has a big heart, ran well in the last few starts and improved this week to win well." Seow went on to land a race-to-race double with the David Kok-trained Pacific Rainbow ($36), who broke through for his first win in the penultimate RM38,000 Class 5 race (1,700m) at his 22nd start. SELANGOR TURF CLUB/TURFONLINE
New Paper
23-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Our Jet is lined up for take-off
Trainer Winson Cheng Han Yong has got more than a couple of talented youngsters residing in his stalls at the Selangor Turf Club. He produced two of them - Our Jet and Momochiko - at the trials run off at Sungai Besi on July 22. Taking off in the first of six hit-outs on a track rated good, the pair were without a doubt the morning stars. Jumping from the two outermost gates and ridden by Andre da Silva and Haikal Hanif respectively, Our Jet and Momochiko were in a trial of their own, especially the former. Once the starter said "go", there was no stopping him. After dismissing an early challenge from Sabahcai, he had daylight in front of him. Momochiko threw down a challenge at the top of the straight but, with engines at full thrust, Our Jet opened up to a sizeable lead to eventually beat his stablemate by three lengths. Besides the convincing margin, Our Jet also broke the minute mark when clocking 59.69sec under a good hold. A four-year-old by Bradbury's Luck, Our Jet certainly looks like a youngster going places and it will be interesting to see him on debut. The same goes for Momochiko. The All Too Hard mare showed plenty of grit to beat Fu Bao to third place by a short head. Right on the heels of that swift show from Our Jet, came another winning performance from Storm To Finish. From trainer Ricky Choi's yard, Storm To Finish won with a whole lot of authority. The unraced Anders two-year-old did it like his name seemed to suggest. He saved the best for last. Holding third behind Dashing Speed and Mega Titan, Storm To Finish played the stalking game until the top of the straight. Pushed into gear by Marc Lerner, he went full throttle and, in a move which must have given Mega Titan and Dashing Speed windburn, he hit the front and drew away to win by six lengths. In doing so, he clocked a smart time of 1min 0.23sec for the trip. Already a winner of his first trial on July 15, Storm To Finish should not be left out of your calculations. From what he has shown so far, he is ripe and ready for a really impressive debut. As for runner-up Mega Titan, his racing debut could come sooner rather than later. Trainer Ananthen Kuppan has entered the Strasbourg two-year-old in a Restricted Maiden sprint to be run over the 1,200m - which is Race 8 on July 27. These races are always tough and Mega Titan will have his work cut out. However, it is clear that he does possess good early speed. If he is up to it and makes a sharp getaway, he could give his rivals something to chase. Then there was Bold Runner. He owned the fifth trial of the morning, leading from go to whoa and never using up much petrol on the sand track. Another one of da Silva's mounts, Bold Runner controlled the tempo and strode out easily. He was never going to get nabbed. Taking the shortest route home, he went further and further away and eventually took the honours with four lengths to spare. Benbo held on for second with Banker's Two Seven holding down third spot. Both will see action on July 27, with Bold Runner entered in Race 6, a Class 4 sprint (1,300m) and Banker's Two Seven entered in Race 3, a Class 5 (A) race (1,150m). A close third to Yes Man at the last of his seven starts on May 18, and on the strength of that impressive trial win, Bold Runner should indeed live up to his name. brian@
New Paper
22-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
De Souza suspended 18 months
KUALA LUMPUR - Jockey Laercio de Souza was suspended for 18 months after stewards conducted an inquiry into his dislodgement from Pacific Power in the Restricted Maiden race (1,400m) at Sungai Besi on July 6. Shortly after the Jason Ong-trained two-year-old jumped out from the gates, de Souza fell off the horse. After reviewing the films of the incident with the Brazilian jockey and the evidence tendered, the stewards decided that he had not exhausted all remedies to prevent himself from being dislodged from Pacific Power. The 33-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was found guilty as charged. He was suspended from riding in races for 18 months, from July 22 to Jan 21, 2027. He was also fined RM50,000 (S$15,100) and advised of his right of appeal.De Souza's licence has also been revoked. He will not be able to apply for a new jockey's licence for another year following the conclusion of his sentence. The younger brother of three-time Malaysian champion jockey Jose, de Souza began riding in Brazil in 2015. After eight months, he moved to Malaysia and continued his apprenticeship under Richard Lines. He came closest to winning the jockeys' premiership in 2018, when he finished second on 47 wins, seven fewer than Ruzaini Supien. De Souza, who last won on Pacific Warrior on July 20, has tallied 32 wins in 2025 and sits second behind leading jockey Andre da Silva. SELANGOR TURF CLUB Additional reporting by Sharon Zhang
New Paper
01-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Elite Prince holds court again
Relative newcomer Elite Prince overcame his outside barrier in the RM200,000 (S$61,000) 3-Year-Old Sprint Championship (1,200m) to score back-to-back wins at Sungai Besi on June 1. Trained by Singaporean Richard Lim, the son of Bon Hoffa faced 12 other runners in the highlight race in Kuala Lumpur, including several last-start winners like Duma, Yes Man, Defeater, Release The Spirit and Rocky Bhai. Elite Prince was no pushover among his peers, though. After an unplaced run on debut on April 20, the Australian-bred opened his account with a handy win in a Restricted Maiden race (1,200m) at his second and last start on May 18, when he beat Singha Bay by 1¾lengths. Although he won from gate 11 then, Lim was still worried the wide barrier 9 this time could work against his positive tactics, but the promising Elite Prince dispelled his concerns shortly after the start. The three-year-old chestnut galloper showed plenty of speed under Shafiq Rizuan to cut across and lead on the rails from Sakura (Mohd Zaki) and Yes Man (Oscar Chavez) in the back straight. Turning for home, Elite Prince ($30) quickly put a two-length margin between him and Yes Man. Duma (Andre da Silva), who had been buried in fifth on the rails, switched to the outside at the 400m to launch his challenge. But Elite Prince was in no mood to relinquish his advantage and held on all the way to the line. Duma ran more than two lengths behind in second while Yes Man finished another length away in third. The winning time was 1min 9.28sec for the 1,200m on the short course. Lim was relieved with Elite Prince's second win over the 1,200m trip, which he has raced over in all three starts in Malaysia, but reckoned the Mahalinggam Palanisamy-owned gelding could have his job cut out for him in the 3-Year-Old Mile Championship (1,600m) on June 29. "We were quite worried before the race, not just (the highest-rated) Duma, but many other runners too because they've all done quite well," said the Penang-born conditioner. "There's a lot of speed in the race and he (Elite Prince) has drawn wide, so we thought he could be caught wide. Luckily, he got across quite easily. "The 1,600m might be a bit too long for him. I would have to discuss with the owner and Shafiq again to decide if we run him then." First-time race partner Shafiq said a change of racing pattern could suit Elite Prince should he go over the mile. "I worked the horse in the week and I know he's got ability, because he won easily at his last start," said the former two-time Singapore champion apprentice. "Today, I was a bit worried because we drew wide, but the race worked out very well for him as he led easily. He kept going in the straight. "I think he can stay the 1,600m but we might have to change how we ride him." Lim has brought up his first hat-trick of wins in Malaysia since he relocated to Kuala Lumpur in Dec 2024. Before Elite Prince's victory in Race 7, Southern Speed ($52) took out the RM38,000 Class 5A contest (1,400m) for comeback jockey Troy See in Race 2, while King's Gambit ($15) saluted in the other Class 5A event (1,400m) under da Silva in Race 3. From seven rides at his first meeting in Malaysia on June 1 after eight years, See has racked up a winning double. After D's Secret ran fourth in the opener, the 36-year-old Singaporean jockey steered Southern Speed to a nose victory on his second ride. He then booted home another winner - The Wild Hero ($11) - for trainer Jason Ong in the RM38,000 Class 5A race (1,020m) in the last race. The 2018 Singapore champion apprentice last rode in New South Wales, Australia on Jan 21, 2023, when he incurred the wrath of the stewards for his conduct. He had a mobile phone in his possession during a random search performed in the jockeys' room at his last meeting at Murwillumbah. See, who rode 12 winners in Australia, pleaded guilty to three charges - possession of a mobile phone in the jockeys' room, refusal to obey a stewards' direction and hindering stewards in the exercise of their powers and duties. He was disqualified for 22½ months, from Jan 29, 2023 to Dec 15, 2024. Before he relocated to Australia, he had been riding in Singapore since his debut in 2012. See, who rode in six races for one third in Malaysia back in 2017, has since returned to riding in the barrier trials at Kuala Lumpur on April 2. sharonzhang@
