Pacific Victory, Man Of Action shine up north
KUALA LUMPUR The super-consistent Pacific Victory was rewarded with his first trophy success on June 15, when he beat a top-notch field in the RM200,000 (S$60,000) 4-Year-Old Sprint Championship (1,200m) at Sungai Besi.
But a bigger prize could be in store for the Jason Ong-trained Rubick gelding when he lines up for the RM1 million Selangor Mile, a 1,600m race for four-year-olds, on July 20.
"He is our stable favourite. I will see how he pulls up but he will be going for the Selangor Mile if all goes well. That is the target," said two-time Singapore champion trainer Ong who is already well clear on the Malaysian trainers' log on 50 winners.
"He is a versatile sort and should take the mile as he has won over the distance. He is improving with every run. He was in better shape than in his previous start."
Pacific Victory has indeed taken to his new surroundings in Kuala Lumpur like a duck to water, winning his debut in Class 3 last December and has since added five more victories and notched three seconds in 10 starts.
Jerlyn Seow, who has ridden in all but one of Pacific Victory's starts in Malaysia, has now saluted seven times aboard the Pacific Stable ward, including one at Kranji when then prepared by Tan Kah Soon.
The two other feature races at the bumper 13-race programme in Kuala Lumpur also highlighted two worthy winners.
Ong was once more the happy recipient at the prize presentation after Filial Dragon (Wong Kam Chong, $47) earlier claimed the Korea Racing Authority Trophy, a Class 2 (1,020m) event.
The third "Cup" race, the TNI Charity Cup, a Class 3 (1,600m) event, went to Richard Lines' Gulf Eagle (Andre da Silva, $32).
A day earlier on June 14, the Perak Turf Club meeting saw seven races ironed out for decision, with the Kevin Coetzee-trained Man Of Action (Harmeet Singh Gill) arguably the winner with the most upside after he claimed the RM26,000 Cosmo C race (1,300m).
Known at Kranji as Arya Pakuan, a winner of three races for Stephen Gray (one) and James Peters (two), the Sebring five-year-old had taken his Singapore form across the Causeway with two wins for his new Ipoh trainer Coetzee.
He has, however, not been seen since his last-start win in a Cosmo C race (1,400m) on April 26.
But he was as nimble as ever when he easily accounted for his five rivals under an inspired ride by Gill.
Coetzee said that the long break was not by design, but it clearly bore no ill-effects.
"I targeted him for the Penang Turf Club Farewell Trophy but there were too many horses ahead of him in the ratings. He was not even handicapped," said the South African handler.
A Cosmo C race was programmed on June 8, but the 1,100m trip was deemed a touch too short for him. The wait by another week for a more suitable race proved to be right on the money.
Backed down to solid $11 favouritism, Man Of Action was well held together by Gill, smothered up midfield in a bunched-up pack before he was let loose upon straightening. TURFONLINE
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