Latest news with #TeamChevalStable
New Paper
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
January to bring the heat this August
It is August now and there are four months left to go in the 2025 season, but ask anyone at Sharee Hamilton's yard, and they will say it is January. The Swiss Ace galloper could be the one coming through for them and he will be the toast at Sungai Besi on Aug 9. The New Zealand handler has got a good one in that six-year-old and she will be hoping that he is the one the rest will have to beat in the highlight race of the Aug 9 meeting: the Class 3 event run over 1,400m. Owned by Team Cheval Stable, January was out on the training track on Aug 5 and, on a track rated good, he worked pretty well. The former Singapore galloper did that 600m spin in a slow time of 42sec, but it might turn out to be all that was needed. A six-time winner over 1,200m and 1,400m, January will trot into the action on the back of a disappointing showing at his last start on July 12, when he finished an uncharacteristic ninth to Platinum Emperor in the Mitavite Asia Cup (1,400m). That day, January was keenly involved in the action, and held second spot until his condition fizzled out 400m from home. He deserves another chance over the 1,400m, a trip he won on four times previously. He could produce a winning run much like he did two starts ago on June 22, when he soundly demolished a Class 3 field by 2¾ lengths in his only win in Malaysia. January, who won five races for trainers Donna Logan and Daniel Meagher at Kranji, has what is needed to come good for Hamilton in August. Navy Seals also turned in a pretty neat gallop, running the 600m in 41sec. That, after a spot of cantering to loosen up those muscles. Prepared by Frank Maynard for the Legacy Power Racing Stable, Navy Seals will have track and trip in his favour on Aug 9 when he tackles the 1,700m in the Class 4A contest. The U S Navy Flag five-year-old has already put together two wins - over 1,700m and 2,000m respectively - for the 2006 Malaysian champion trainer since he began racing in Selangor early this year. A three-time winner over staying trips at Kranji when trained by Tan Kah Soon, he brought that form over to his new base. It was on April 5 that he did at Sungai Besi what he did at Kranji: winning over the 2,000m. But the shorter 1,700m at his next start is also right up his alley. Last time in a Class 4B race (1,700m) on July 20, Navy Seals was right in the mix at the 400m mark, but he encountered traffic issues and his game plan went to nought when he was crowded and had to switch out for a clear run. It cost him the race and he eventually finished a smack-up fifth to Pacific Star, albeit the margin between him and the winner was just a length. Navy Seals can make amends. Watch for those blue silks as he charges home over the concluding stages on Aug 9. Another good one to pursue at the betting windows could be Otahuhu, who covered the 600m in a breezy 41.2sec. Since joining Malaysian handler Nick Selvan's yard after his last run at Kranji on Sept 28, 2024, the Overshare gelding has put together two more wins, in addition to his two victories over 1,200m for Logan in Singapore. A six-year-old Australian-bred, Otahuhu's last win was on June 7. That day, under a ride by Khairil Zulkiflee, he came from third at the top of the home stretch to collar and eventually beat the front runner, Jungle King, by a head. The race was a Class 4 affair run over the 1,150m. Earlier, on April 27, Otahuhu led his rivals on a merry chase to land a win in a Class 5A event over the slightly longer 1,300m. The Class 4B race on Aug 9 will be over the 1,200m. It will be in his comfort zone, and Selvan could be looking to add one more to the 28 winners he has already saddled this season. brian@
New Paper
20-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Rocket Boy returns to winning ways in Cosmo C race
IPOH - Rocket Boy, who was disappointing in his last run on June 8, bounced back to his best when he claimed his third win from five starts in the RM26,000 (S$7,800) Cosmo C race (1,400m) at Ipoh on July 19. Trained by Ismadi Ismail, the Capitalist four-year-old was settled in fourth spot by regular rider How Yang, while last-start winner Wilamara (Wong Kam Chong) sat on his outside. Not long after straightening, Rocket Boy ($18) took over the lead from pacemaker Black Thorn (Ganeesh Munusamy). Wilamara began motoring home steadily from the 200m to give Rocket Boy a run for his money, but the latter managed to stave off the challenge and score with a length to spare. Black Thorn finished another 2¼ lengths away in third. The winning time was 1min 24.09sec for the 1,400m on the long course. Assistant trainer Yan Weng Kuan said the longer break of six weeks was intended for Rocket Boy. "After his last run, we wanted to keep him fresh," he said. Taking a sit in the race has also reaped rewards for Yang, who has ridden the Lau Teik Kip-owned gelding in all his five starts in Ipoh. "As it was his first attempt over 1,400m, we decided to settle just off the pace and waited for the straight to make our bid," he said. Known as Worx in Australia, Rocket Boy has won twice over the 1,200m and 1,300m in 12 starts Down Under. Trained in Kuala Lumpur by Richard Lim, The Shadow ($18) has completed a hat-trick of wins on the Ipoh track in the RM20,000 Class 5A contest (1,400m). The Dissident eight-year-old won five races at Kranji, with his first three wins under Michael Clements and his last two under Lim. It was on May 11 when Lim first sent The Shadow to Ipoh and he finished fourth in a Class 5A race (1,400m). But it has been three wins on the trot - all over 1,400m - for him at Ipoh since. After bowling along in third, The Shadow (Harmeet Singh Gill) ranged alongside Discretely Red (Haikal Hanif) and D'Great Magic (Shazmin Sudin) at the 300m, and kicked clear to win by 2¾ lengths from Boss Nine Nine (Wong Kam Chong), who missed the start but still stormed home for second. Yet, three successive wins in Ipoh did not mean connections were looking at bigger races for him at Sungai Besi. "No, his owners (Team Cheval Stable) want him to run in Ipoh," said Lim. Ipoh trainer Khor Peng Hwa has landed his first treble in Malaysia - with Retallica ($17), Brotherly Love ($24) and Crazy Love ($14) - since his training career kicked off in late April. TURFONLINE
