The RM300,000 Group 1 Equine Sanctuary Tunku Gold Cup (1200m), the first leg of the Triple Crown Series, will feature a full field of 14 contenders this Sunday afternoon at Selangor Turf Club.
No. 1 AWESOME STORM: A seasoned campaigner, his recent form has been mixed, with a third-place finish at Supreme A company in his last start. However, carrying top weight remains a significant concern.
No. 2 SUPER SALUTE: This former Singapore galloper has shown promise in all three of his starts in Malaysia, though he is yet to win. If he can recapture the form that saw him win feature races at Kranji, he will be a strong contender.
No. 3 ANTIPODEAN: With an impressive record of nine wins from 12 starts, he is undoubtedly the most progressive horse in Malaysia in recent years. He is well weighted against most of his rivals in this feature and looks on track to claim his second victory at the highest level.
No. 4 PLATINUM EMPEROR: Formerly racing in Macau, he exceeded expectations with a dominant win in a 5YO race on his local debut. Since then, he has trialled impressively and looks to be a strong contender to give trainer Ricky Choi his first Group 1 victory.
No. 5 PLATINUM FORT: The other runner from Ricky Choi’s stable, he faces an uphill task to make his local debut in a Group 1 event. A place finish seems his best chance.
No. 6 ARIGATO: Blessed with great early speed, he made all with an effortless victory in a Supreme A race last time out. However, with a larger field this time, the expected fast pace may not play to his advantage.
No. 7 CHINESE TEA: A consistent front-runner, he may struggle against the tougher competition in this week’s field, having failed to place in five previous starts at Group 1 level.
No. 8 SHIRVO: He has shown promise, finishing second in both of his local starts. Despite facing tough competition this week, a Top 3 finish would not be surprising.
No. 9 CHEVAL BLANC: One of the most versatile horses in Malaysia in recent years, he has claimed victories over distances ranging from 1200m to 2000m, including three Group 1 wins. If he is overlooked in the market this week, he is certainly worth considering.
No. 10 PACIFIC VAMPIRE: He is likely to be the first to reach the 400m mark, but his ability to sustain the effort in the straight is highly questionable, as indicated by his recent performances.
No. 11 WITNESSIMPACT: Although winless from nine overseas starts, he has been a revelation since moving to Malaysia, with five victories from eight outings. Given his rapid progress, he must be considered one of the better chances.
No. 12 TE AKAU BEN: His recent form has been promising, although he typically performs best over 1400m or above. However, if the pace is set too fast up front, he could sneak into the placings at long odds.
No. 13 GOOD FIGHT: He finished a solid third in the Group 1 Perak Derby two weeks ago, but the significant drop in distance from 2000m to 1200m may raise concerns.
No. 14 GOLDEN PEGASUS: This quality five-year-old has been placed in both of his Group 1 starts, so he should not be overlooked, despite being poorly weighted under this week’s racing conditions.
No. 15 NOAH KHAN (EA1): He scored a 5.25-length victory at big odds in Supreme A company last time out. If he can replicate that performance, he will be a genuine contender here.
No. 16 RENZO (EA2): After an all-the-way victory in a small field of three last week, he will face much tougher competition at Group 1 level this time.
No. 17 EMERALD LISI (EA3): Given his narrow win in Class 3 last start, it will be a challenge for him to finish in the Top 3.
Given the size of the field, a fast pace is expected, which could benefit horses like ANTIPODEAN, SUPER SALUTE, PLATINUM EMPEROR, WITNESSIMPACT, and TE AKAU BEN. Other contenders, including SHIRVO, CHEVAL BLANC, and GOOD FIGHT, are also in the mix. Additionally, the race conditions favour higher-rated horses over their lower-rated counterparts.
