Local trainer Kevin Coetzee is coming off a season best four winners at the last meeting here a fortnight ago and looks a chance of chalking up an early winner in the 1600m Class 5B contest (Race 1) at the Perak Turf Club Meeting this Sunday.
MICHIKAWA is a genuine chance to break the winning drought and record his first win for the stable despite the outside gate. The eight-year-old is knocking on the door following three minor placings from his past five starts and closed off well win finishing runner up last time. FIGHT TO WIN has only scored once from sixteen local starts and it was at this track and journey in wet going back in March. Finishing 3rd in the same race MICHIKAWA contested last start, the gelding is likely to bounce back to winning form.
Another Coetzee runner with claims is last start winner LEOPARD ECLIPSE, which broke a nineteen-month winning drought here two weeks ago. He’ll go up against the inform NIMBUS FLARE, which is on the seven-day backup in the 1600m Class 5A contest (Race 2). NIMBUS FLARE has shown rapid improvement this season striking twice and was a fraction unlucky in KL when tightened for room in the home straight last Sunday. The gelding had every opportunity besides that and a return to his home circuit should prove beneficial.
Another local trainer with good representation from his small stable is Stephen Cook and his eleven-year-old veteran performer, SUCCESS STREET appears on target to score in the 1600m Class 5A (Race 3). The gelding has picked up numerous races over this track / distance and looks ready after powering home to finish 2nd in the soft going last start.
Selangor trainer Frank Maynard has a couple of winning chances on the program also with FOREST GOLD, a major player in the 1400m Class 4B (Race 4). The five-year-old closed off well when finishing 5th behind the locally unbeaten Fright in KL on October 5 and his only Malaysian victory took place on this track over 1600m, scoring easily by 5.25 lengths. However, RIVER DRAGON resumes from a spell and has won twice from three starts on the Ipoh circuit. The seven-year-old has wo first up previously and wil have the services of leading jockey, Andre Da Silva.
Maynard will go into the 1000m Class 4A event (Race 7) with a two-pronged attack in the form of TAU KEH SOH and SACRED SKY. TAU KEH SOH drops immensely in class from Metro A company back to Class 4, where he has won five times in the grade. It is also the mare’s first visit to Ipoh and from pole position will be hard to beat. SACRED SKY was a 1200m Class 5 winner here two starts back but his performances against the Class 4 gallopers prior were quite encouraging.
SUPERYA was another horse to break a nineteen-month drought when successful here on September 20 and will be searching for successive wins in the 1400m Class 4A (Race 11). The seven-year-old finished runner up in the two Malaysian Group One staying races at the end of the 2023 season and providing he can accumulate enough points, he may be on the path of competing in the G1 Piala Ems Sultan Selangor in December. SWEET LOVE is a fast beginner with a good Class 4 record and will take holding out from the pole while WAR FRONTIER finished 2nd, beaten 1.75 lengths behind SUPERYA at the September 20 meeting. The nine year has his hoof on the till after running 3rd in the soft going at the last meeting.
Maynard should cap off the marathon card of racing with last start winner, SOUSUI which draws deep in the 1400m Class 4B contest (Race 12). A perennial Class 4 contender, SOUSUI has been racing well on the Malaysian circuit since winning at his local debut back in January recording three wins from fifteen starts and was never in doubt following his decisive all the way victory over 1300m here last month when going around as the even money favourite. DAYLIGHT was a winner here over 1400m recently looks a chance providing the track stays dry. The eight-year-old faded in the soft going last start and is better suited dropping back to the ‘B’ division of Class 4. CRAZY LOVE was placed behind SOUSUI in that September 20 contest and is one to contemplate for the trifectas.
