Like a popular song which continually rises to the top of the music charts, inform jockey Jimmy Wong continues his rapid ascension on the premiership ladder this season and is currently number five with a bullet. He has developed a big following with local punters since returning from Korea earlier in the year with 31 winners. With two and a half months remaining in the season, CC Wong is only seven winners in arrears of current leader Bernardo Pinheiro, who has since returned to the UAE.
However, it was slim pickings from the Penang-born hoop last Sunday with no winners from his eleven mounts but despite that, he is still striking at 25% and when he teams up with leading trainer Simon Dunderdale, that figure expands to 32%.
The formidable pair combine with six runners this Saturday at the Selangor Turf Club (seven if RAIL TRAIL gains a start in race six) with NAVARRE REGENT arguably their best chance of landing the major prize on the twelve-race program.
NAVARRE REGENT will be attempting to go two from two when he steps out in the 1100m Class 4 contest (Race 4) following his effortless win on debut back in August. The promising three-year-old treated his rivals with contempt in a 1200m Restricted Maiden by leading throughout to score by 5.25L virtually unextended. Despite the 5kg weight rise, he should prove hard to beat again on the upgrade.
An enthralling clash is expected in the 1100m Class 2 contest (Race 6) with progressive five-year-old DUMA expected to capitalize on his recent success. The Too Darn Hot gelding was not disgraced against a hot lineup in the NZB Open Championship on September 5 finishing 4th, beaten 3L and followed up in emphatic fashion with a 1.25L victory in a 1200m Class 2. Senior jockey Ruzaini Supien has a good record aboard the gelding with 3 wins from 5 rides and is well weighted compared to other seasoned rivals with 56.5kg. PACIFIC ENERGY returns back to the sprint journey following unsuccessful attempts over the mile in three of his past four starts and will be looking to bounce back to the form he displayed earlier this year which included winning the 4YO Sprint Championship back in June. Jockey Jose De Souza rides the gelding for the first time for trainer David Kok and will be better suited under Saturday’s racing conditions. 3YO Mile Championship winner BANKER’S BOSS also returns to the sprint trip and will be looking to rebound from his unplaced effort in the G1 Selangor Gold Cup contested three weeks ago. The Johnny Lim-trained performer is a versatile type capable of winning with 60.5kg and his record of 3 wins from 5 starts over 1100m places him in good stead.
Trainer David Kok will be represented by former Australian galloper, PACIFIC WAVE which looks a winning chance in the 1200m Class 3 contest (Race 8). Following a Class 3 win on local debut back in August, the four-year-old has retained good form in the high grades including falling a nose short in a Class 2 event on September 5. On the downgrade with Jimmy Wong reunited with the gelding, PACIFIC WAVE will be a major player. One galloper with a quick turn of speed in the race is PERFECT RETURN which is nearing a win following three runs in the country. However, his racing pattern can be a liability as he tends to give away big starts which places a huge reliance on the race tempo. His closing speed is an asset however and with 55.5kg to carry, he is a definite watch.
The Buffalo Stable-Simon Dunderdale association will have a strong two-pronged attack in the 1400m Class 2 (Race 10) with ERUPTION and ARTOIS expected to feature. ERUPTION will be looking to bounce back following his unplaced effort in the G1 Selangor Gold Cup where he set a ballistic speed whilst leading and no doubt contributed to the track record set in the race taken out by FORTUNE TREE. Eventually fading to finish 12th beaten 20.5L, the G1 Ipoh Gold Vase runner up earlier this year will be given a much easier trip and is a five-time winner over 1400m. Stable mate ARTOIS has picked up three wins this year and did have excuses when failing at his first run in Class 2 company three weeks ago. Casting a plate during the run, ARTOIS weakened to finish out of the placings after leading. The gelding should go around at a decent quote there on Saturday and is one to keep in mind.
