The 1200m PRTC Community Shield (Race 7) will headline a marathon thirteen race card at the Perak Turf Club on Sunday in what appears to be a very challenging program for punters.
Track specialist ARIGATO (1) will head the weights in the RM100,000 feature and his high rating means that he will carry at least 4.5kg more than his opposition. With four wins from six starts on the Ipoh circuit, the seven-year-old is coming off an all-the-way victory over subsequent winner Lucky Lyle in a 1200m Enrich A contest on May 9. Despite the 59kg and harder opposition, he may still possess the class to make it successive wins this Sunday. BANKER’S FIRST (2) has impressed in two starts in the country with the former Aussie winning at big odds-on local debut back in April prior to finishing runner up behind talented sprinter, Yes Man in a strong KL Metro A contest three weeks ago. On that form line alone with 54.5kg to carry, BANKER’S FIRST (2) should prove hard to beat with the Banker’s Stable / Johnny Lim combination in good form this season. Five-year-old STOP THE WATER (4) will make his debut for local trainer Kevin Coetzee and will be first up since finishing unplaced in the G1 Tunku Gold Cup on March 29. Prior to that the gelding was placed in the Listed Wilyah Silver Bowl and has been competitive in the high grades in Selangor since crossing from Singapore. Stable mate WINNING STRIDE (5) has been a model of consistency since joining the Coetzee camp late last year and has maintained good form since finishing runner up in the 2000m G1 Perak Derby back in March. The seven-year-old drops back from the mile but he is quite versatile over a vast range of distances. The lightweights should not be underestimated either with FLAWLESS (9) and LEONG MA BISCUIT (10) to carry the minimum 50kg. FLAWLESS (9) is yet to prove himself at this level and has struggled since winning a Class 4 contest here back in early February. However, he can provide the value for the exotics on best form while LEONG MA BISCUIT (10) faces his toughest assignment so far and wasn’t disgraced when finishing third behind ARIGATO (1) last start.
Race 7 Selections: (1) ARIGATO (2) BANKER’S FIRST (4) STOP THE WATER (5) WINNING STRIDE
The RM30,000 Urbax Trophy (Race 6) will be the semi-feature on the Sunday card of racing with numerous chances in the fourteen-horse lineup. KONG FU PANDA (2) is verging on a return victory following two encouraging performances for the Peter Lee stable. The seven-year-old may not be in the vein of form he displayed two years ago which saw him take out the 2024 G1 Ipoh Gold Vase, his last career win. However, the gelding has descended to a winnable rating and will get his chance to break the 714-day winning drought. Four-year-old CALIFORNIA WARRIOR (1) was heavily backed into odds-on favorite for his Malaysian debut and it appeared he was short of a run despite his impressive trial form in the lead up. It may pay to forgive that run as the horse displayed good form in New Zealand with two wins from four starts in his former home country, both in wet going. SACRED SKY (6) has picked off three wins this year and looks a winning chance again despite the wide draw. The seven-year-old pulled up broken winded last start but his form prior included three wins from his previous four runs and is expected to bounce back. Stable mate SOUSUI (5) can be hard to follow at times but was back in winning form over 1100m two starts back on May 9 before finishing 3rd over 1000m seven days later. The gelding closed off well without threatening in the race won by another stable mate INFINITE WISDOM (7) that day and is worth considering again. SABAHCAI (10) broke his Class 4 duck in comfortable fashion with a 4.5L win and is a chance to repeat the dose.
Race 6 Selections: (2) KONG FU PANDA (1) CALIFORNIA WARRIOR (6) SACRED SKY (5) SOUSUI
