Reigning premiership trainer Simon Dunderdale enjoyed a day out saddling four winners at the Selangor Turf Club Meeting last week and a couple of former Australian gallopers with genuine chances will represent the stable this Sunday.
HYPEMAN, a four-year-old by Dundeel easily accounted for a Class 4 lineup on his Malaysian debut and will be attempting to maintain his unbeaten record in the country when he steps out in the 1200m Max Two Stakes (Race 8). The gelding arrived in Malaysia with some handy form lines in Australia and local punters jumped on board before the galloper delivered his two-length victory as a short-priced favourite over 1100m on June 15. HYPEMAN did score second up during his last Australian campaign and is expected. The main danger on best form is CINNAMON BLAZE, a fast beginner and proven weight carrier. Denied his third career win after being demoted to 2nd following an objection last start on June 1, the five-year-old will be seeking redemption and was kept up to the mark with a quiet trial during the week.
Another Dunderdale runner worth watching is VALOIS, which is engaged in a competitive Supreme B contest (Race 10) over 1600m. The gelding had no luck from a wide draw in the recent 4YO Sprint Championship when carried deep on the home turn to finish 3.75L behind the winner. His Class 3 win on his local debut should be a reliable form pointer considering he nosed out the inform Filial Dragon on that occasion. The only query is that he failed in one previous attempt over the mile but that was against group company in Australia and VALOIS has matured into a handy performer capable of winning at the top level in Malaysia. SMART STAR, BIG HEARTED and TE AKAU BEN filled the placings in a 1400m Supreme A contest recently and are all seasoned campaigners which have scored over the mile previously. BIG HEARTED was the eye-catching run in the race and is a chance to break through at start number six in Malaysia.
Australian jockey, Will Price has a book of six quality mounts on the twelve-race program, including HYPEMAN and VALOIS. Will, the son of Simon Price who rode with success on the Malaysian circuit in the early to mid-nineties, was a former leading Victorian apprentice in the 2020-2021 racing season and will make his Malaysian riding debut this Sunday.
Price will be legged up on the ultra-consistent six-year-old THE STAR for trainer Lawson Moy in the 1020m Class 4A on Track Two (Race 5). Coming of an effortless 5.5L win here on June 15 from barrier ten, the gelding has defied the class rises and is yet to miss a place locally in seven starts (4 wins). THE STAR draws a similar barrier after scratchings but looks the horse to beat.
Rookie trainer, Hamish Aloysius came close to winning with his first stable runner at last Sunday’s meeting with Never Ask More had to settle for the runner up position. He has recently taken over the training of TENNET TENTENNET, which gets his chance to break through in the 1400m Class 4A contest (Race 6). The four-year-old is coming off four minor placings in a row and providing he doesn’t give away a big start which he does tend to do, then the gelding may give Selangor’s newest trainer his maiden success. TRIGGER PEGASUS caught the eye with a fast-finishing 2nd in the Penang Farewell Trophy on May 31 and despite not winning for eleven months, he is one to watch on the downgrade on the freshen up.
