As is the norm with racing at Perak Turf Club the program will commence with the 1600m contests including three divisions of the Class 5.
MICHIKAWA hasn’t won for fourteen months but is a chance to bounce back in the Class 5B (Race 1). Coming off a number of minor placings this year MICHIKAWA has finished runner up at his past two outings and definitely has the hoof on the till. The T Asogan yard has been running hot in recent weeks and recent stable acquisition, GOD’S GIFT is also due to strike. The nine-year-old closed off well when finishing 2nd to GOLDEN LIGHTNING, which is a chance of going back-to-back in Race Three.
FIGHT TO WIN looks ideally placed with 53kg is on target for successive wins in Race 2. The four-year-old can be a risky proposition at the start but has a good turn of foot when called upon. His two career victories have been over Sunday’s track and distance, both in wet going and jockey HS Gill retains the mount. LEOPARD ECLIPSE finally delivered a win for the Kevin Coetzee stable two runs back before receiving every chance when 3rd to GOLDEN LIGHTNING at the last meeting. The nine-year-old draws well and can easily bounce back in the small field.
GOLDEN LIGHTNING will carry 3kg more from his win here on October 9 and is a chance to repeat the dose in Race 3. Starting at the generous odds of RM155, it was only a matter of time before the former Class 3 galloper was going to bounce back and he never looked in danger when posting his fourth win on the track by 1.75 lengths. NORTHERN ALLIANCE took out a Class 5 contest here in August and is a chance second run back in the grade while SHYLOCK is a last winner and also rises 3kg in the weights.
ARIGATO was outclassed in the NZB Ready To Run open Championship in KL on October 12 but returns to the scene of his two victories this year and will be hard to beat in the 1300m Enrich Stakes A (Race 5). Coming off successive wins over 1300m and 1400m, the seven-year-old has the 60kg but has a touch of class on his side. Only a neck separated ARIGATO and SALAAM NAMASTEY at their last encounter back on September 7 and the pair are likely to run the quinella again. SALAAM NAMASTEY has been ultra consistent and rarely runs a bad race while stable mate PEAKY BLINDER is an enigmatic type capable of winning on best form.
WAR FRONTIER appears primed to score following three runs this preparation and will one to watch in the 1100m Class 4B contest (Race 6). Coming off successive minor placings, WAR FRONTIER should appreciate the journey drop and is adaptable to all forms of going. AFTERMATH produced one of the fastest final sectionals at the Selangor meeting on October 26 when charging home to finish runner up, beaten 2.5 lengths from a wide barrier. This will be the eight-year old’s first look at the Ipoh circuit but comes under notice after returning to form last start. FOREVER LOVE is targeting the hat trick after scoring in an incident packed race marred by a fall here three weeks ago and has strong claims again while stable mate SIMON has been racing well without winning against Class 4 company.
