Selangor trainer, Siva Subramaniam was rewarded with his first Group One success earlier this year when NOAH KHAN took out the 1200m G1 Tunku Gold Cup back in March and the talented seven-year-old will take some holding out in the RM 100,000 Singapore Pools Trophy this Sunday.
However, the affable conditioner is a big chance of landing the double feature with inform six-year-old, GOLDEN PEGASUS (1) heading the weights in the RM 250,000 G1 Coronation Cup (Race 6).
GOLDEN PEGASUS (1) will be searching for his first group one victory having placed twice at this level towards the end of last season. The Australian bred has recaptured his best form this campaign culminating with his impressive win in the G3 Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup two weeks ago. Defeating the highly rated Antipodean by 1.5 lengths, GOLDEN PEGASUS (1) recorded a slick time of 1.21.6, only 0.6 of a second outside the course record for the 1400m. Despite the 60kg and his first run at the Ipoh circuit, he has the class to score in the time-honored classic.
GOOD STAR (4) is living up to his name and is building an impressive local resume since his Malaysian debut on June 1. Highlighted by his neck 2nd in the RM 1,000,000 Selangor Mile plus his success in the Listed RM 100,000 Merdeka Cup, the five-year-old son of Shalaa has stamped himself as a group winner in the making. He is coming off a last win in an 1800m Metro A contest where fellow combatants LATIN LEGEND (7) and BIG HEARTED (3) finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the five-horse lineup on October 26.
LATIN LEGEND (7) has conquered GOOD STAR (4) once in three meetings between the pair however, GOOD STAR (4) has come out on top defeating the Irish bred grey by a neck on two occasions, which included the Merdeka Cup run back in August. LATIN LEGEND (7) is ideally weighted on the minimum (52kg) and his quick turn of foot with the lightweight will place him in good stead.
BIG HEARTED (3) is a former G1 Singapore Gold Cup winner and at the age of nine remains competitive in the Malaysian high grades chalking up two wins since debuting locally in December last year.
Former Kiwi galloper FORTUNE TREE (6) will face his toughest assignment so far but has done little wrong in posting three wins from five runs in the country, including successive Class 3 victories and could provide the value if he’s able to notch the winning hat trick.
CORONATION CUP SELECTIONS: (1) GOLDEN PEGASUS (4) GOOD STAR (7) LATIN LEGEND (3) BIG HEARTED
As mentioned previously, NOAH KHAN (2) will be a major player in the Singapore Pools Trophy (Race 10) and will be primed following three runs this preparation. Senior jockey, Y Aify has ridden the gelding on four occasions for two wins and two placings and will be reunited with the gelding this weekend. Coming off a last start 4th in the G3 Sports toto Challenge Cup, NOAH KHAN (2) will be looking to break through at his third run back on the Ipoh circuit.
FRIGHT (4) has already created a big impression on the local circuit winning at his first three runs by a combined 14.25 lengths (Average: 4.75L), leading throughout on each occasion. The four-year-old’s colours were lowered last start over 1020m on Track Two in KL but on the bigger circuit, he could be hard to catch in a contest which does contain a lot of early pace.
PACIFIC VAMPIRE (1) is another likely leader who steps cleanly from the start before he musters plenty of early pace when balancing up after barrier rise. Hence the lead could be hotly contested by these two promising gallopers which may ensure a quick time is on the cards provided the track is dry.
SECRET WONDER (10) is on the upgrade following his 1100m Class 4 win on local debut and appears one of the better hopes among the lower graded performers. The former Australian galloper was well spotted in the local market and duly delivered a half-length victory on September 28.
WILAMARA (6), COLONEL SON (7) and BILLY ELLIOT (8) are all handy types in the high grades and are worth slotting into the exotic forms of betting.
SINGAPORE POOLS TROPHY SELECTIONS: (2) NOAH KHAN (4) FRIGHT (1) PACIFIC VAMPIRE (10) SECRET WONDER
