It has been a relatively quiet season for multiple-group winning trainer, Frank Maynard compared to recent years with 19 winners so far striking at a respectable 11.2%. The stable’s sole representative for Sunday’s SLTC meeting will be locally unbeaten four-year-old PERFECT SERDANG, which steps out in the 1200m Max Two Stakes (Race 4). The former Australian galloper arrived as a three-start maiden but has made an immediate impression with successive victories at Ipoh, the most recent being a Benchmark 65 contest on September 20 where he scored by 0.5L after a slow beginning. PERFECT SERDANG has displayed the potential to progress through the grades and looks hat trick bound with the benefit of a 3kg claim for apprentice J Ikram, who’s ridden three winners from seven rides for the stable this year. CONGRATULATEBANKER is overdue for a win also following three minor placings from four starts, his only failure coming from an unplaced effort off a seven-day backup in August. The four-year-old grey has remained competitive in Class 3 level and is a chance of breaking through in this weaker grade.
Five-year-old LEGEND SIXTY-THREE has really stepped up this campaign from a nine-month break chalking up successive wins over 1150m and 1200m and will be seeking atonement in the 1200m Class 4 contest (Race 5). The Richard Lim-trained galloper cast a plate when finishing 3rd over 1275m on Track Two a fortnight ago but will be better suited returning to the short course this Sunday from barrier 2. PACIFIC MASTER has retained form since dead-heating at big odds over 1020m in August and is well drawn also. Finishing close up in two subsequent efforts, the Jason Ong-trained runner is a four-time winner over 1200m and will gain the services of Joe Kamaruddin for the first time.
Kamaruddin also retains the ride on last-start winner ACTION BANKERS, which looks hard to beat again in the 1400m Class 3 contest (Race 7). The New Zealand-bred five-year-old delivered a comfortable 3.75L victory over 1300m two weeks ago, his fourth run in the country and strikes another winnable contest despite the 2.5kg weight rise. GRAPHJET EXPRESS has been an enigma capable of progressing through the ranks but rarely delivers, hence has only recorded four wins from twenty starts locally. The six-year-old was outclassed in the G1 Ipoh Gold Vase recently and connections have elected to go with inform jockey Jimmy Wong, who will ride the gelding for the first time.
The Simon Dunderdale-Jimmy Wong combination has been a formidable one this season striking at an impressive 38% (10 wins from 26 rides) and that scenario should continue in the 1400m Open Maiden (Race 8) with the three-year-old New Zealand-bred performer, CAPET CROWN. Placed in all three starts so far, CAPET CROWN will strike a weaker lineup following his recent 3rd behind progressive type Midori Sunrise in a 1400m Class 4 a fortnight ago and appears ideally placed from barrier three with a 4.5kg weight drop. Four-year-old GENERAL BARRACK does possess some early pace and attempted to lead throughout in a Class 4 contest at his second race start on September 26. Finishing 4th and beaten 3L behind the inform Commander Jones, GENERAL BARRACK was met with solid market support despite the class rise and is also capable of landing the major prize.
LUCKY MEGA has vastly improved with race experience and will be aiming for back-to-back wins in the 1600m Class 4 event (Race 9). The three-year-old UK-bred performer never looked in doubt when breaking through in Class 4 grade over 1500m on August 22. The gelding drew barrier two when leading throughout to score by 3.5L unextended with Bernardo Pinheiro astride. KC Low will be reunited with LUCKY MEGA on Sunday may require some early luck from the outside gate but if he replicates his last start performance, he should be hard to beat gain. Senior jockey Jose De Souza seldom rides for the Pacific Stable but has been booked to take the mount on PACIFIC STAR, which is coming off an eye-catching run at big odds last start. The seven-year-old closed off well to finish 3rd in a 1400m Class 3 contest here two weeks ago and appears well placed on the downgrade despite carrying the top weight of 59kg.
