Cheval Blanc too good in Piala Emas

KUALA LUMPUR - Grey marvel Cheval Blanc bounced back to his brilliant best when he came with a sustained effort in the final 200m to snatch victory in the RM250,000 (S$75,300) Group 1 Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (2,000m) at Sungai Besi on Dec 1.

The race ran into the hands of the $46 shot when Good Fight (Uzair Sharudin) set a scorching pace in the yielding going, and the rest of the field trailed like a mail train with some 40 lengths covering the field at the midway mark.

Good Fight started to come back to the field turning into the straight with a length to spare from Berry Bliss (Clyde Leck), who was closing in swiftly on the outside of Family Delight. Cheval Blanc (Lim Shung Uai) was then looking for a run just behind the pair.

Berry Bliss raced past Good Fight near the 200m to hit the front. Family Delight was beaten, but Golden Pegasus (Nuqman Rozi) was making ground on the rails while Cheval Blanc was asked for an effort on the outside.

Cheval Blanc and Golden Pegasus charged at the leader in the final 50m and it was the Irish-bred Red Jazz nine-year-old who went best to snatch victory by ½ length. Berry Bliss held on for second, just a head in front of Golden Pegasus.

Cheval Blanc’s never-say-die spirit has now landed him three Group 1s in less than a year and five wins in 13 starts since moving to trainer Frank Maynard.

“Fantastic. It’s a big thrill,” said the Australian. “He is a versatile, honest horse who never gives up.

“We lost him for a couple of runs (after his last win) and I don’t know why. But coming back to win like that, it’s just a great effort. He was never going to win at the 200m, but just kept coming.

“I would love to have him as a four-year-old, we would have some fun then.

“We wouldn’t get carried away (with the win today) and we’ll see how he pulls up. I will then talk to the connections and pick up a race for him next.”

When Cheval Blanc first came to Maynard this time in 2023, he scored a hat-trick, culminating with his first Group 1 in the Penang Gold Cup (2,000m) last December.

He then surprised a few when be beat the sprinters at their game in the Group 1 Tunku Gold Cup (1,200m) last April.

Cheval Blanc, who won a race and finished on the podium in four “black type” races in Ireland, managed two wins in Class 4 in Singapore but has matured like fine wine since coming to Malaysia.

It was Maynard’s second success in the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor after Sacred Empire in 2019.

Maynard and Lim teamed up to win the Penang Sprint Trophy (1,400m) with Circuit Mission last July.

“They went too fast (early), so I kept my patience and let him settle nicely,” said Lim.

“I started to move up from the 600m and in the straight, my horse gave me plenty, slowly and surely gaining ground on the leader.”

Maynard was not at his only prize presentation of the day as two races earlier, he also won the RM50,000 Singapore Pools Trophy (1,200m) with Chinese Tea.

Ridden by apprentice jockey Mohd Ekdihar, the $50 shot took full advantage of his barrier one to lead all the way in the Metro A race.

Tau Keh Soh (Aiman Nazir) ran second for a stable quinella that rewarded Singapore punters who found the correct combination, with a $188 payout.

Pools chief executive officer Lam Chee Weng was on hand at Sungai Besi, along with chief product officer Simon Leong and senior manager (product content) Steven Tan.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Selangor Turf Club as we present the Singapore Pools Trophy for the third consecutive year,” said Leong.

“Since our first collaboration in 2022, when Selangor Turf Club became the first Malayan Racing Association (MRA) club to host a Singapore Pools race during the Group 1 Piala Emas Sultan Selangor, our partnership has deepened.

“This ongoing partnership reflects our commitment to offering racing fans more variety, while reinforcing our ties with the MRA and international partners. Together, we can bring Malaysia’s horse racing to even greater heights.”

Pools has also lent its name to a race at the Perak Turf Club at the Coronation Cup meeting in October as well as other jurisdictions further afield like South Korea, South Africa, Hong Kong and Perth in recent years.

SELANGOR TURF CLUB/TURFONLINE