Leong Ma Biscuit does not crumble

It is a fact that Ismadi Ismail’s skill set is with horses, but he could be forgiven for thinking he can now add a new string to his bow: Telekinesis.

At the 400m of the RM35,500 Class 4A (1,400m) in Ipoh on Nov 23, the jockey-turned-trainer agonised when he saw jockey How Yang pull the whip on Leong Ma Biscuit as he ranged alongside Golden Lightning (Lim Aun Kean).

“Why the whip? He’s got to push first,” said the Ipoh conditioner.

“A jockey must push first, whip only after the horse goes in front.”

From the stands, Ismadi was urging the senior two-kilo claimer to put the crop away.

The racing Gods must have heard his plea. How Yang accidentally dropped his whip there and then.

It happened while switching it to the left hand, presumably due to the restricted room between the two horses.

In the heat of the moment, the stick slipped through his hand, leaving the Malaysian jockey with no other choice but to keep riding hands and heels to the line.

Somehow, it seemed to spur Leong Ma Biscuit ($14) on, as he eventually edged clear to beat Golden Lightning by half a length.

If not for that “divine intervention”, Ismadi would have returned empty-handed from that Perak Turf Club meeting where he saddled only four runners.

The win probably spared How Yang a spray at his return to scale, but Ismadi, whose son Amirul is also a jockey, is not one to dwell too long over riding mistakes.

“The horse wasn’t responding to the whip, which isn’t necessary. It can slow down a horse,” he said.

“So when the jockey lost the whip, it was a blessing in disguise. Hands-and-heels riding was better.

“I’m happy for How Yang. He’s been riding for a long time (since 2006), but still claims two and doesn’t get a lot of opportunities.

“He did follow my instructions in the early part. I advised him to jump well, get cover and not touch the horse, as he can overrace.”

While the Belardo five-year-old won his last start in a Class 4B (1,300m) on Oct 20 by leading all the way, Ismadi elected for a quieter run this time.

“This horse has natural speed, but over 1,400m, the plan was to drop in third, fourth,” he said.

“I thought if he got a fast pace, he wouldn’t overrace. He actually settled well and quickened well.”

Despite the Majestic Dragon Stable-owned gelding’s second consecutive win, Ismadi is not getting too carried, though.

He will take the win, but was refraining from seeing his future through rose-coloured glasses.

“If he runs in a strong Class 4, it’ll be a bit difficult for him,” he said. “His best trip is 1,300m to 1,400m.

“The owners are Malaysian and have only this horse with me. They bought him from Australia and sent him to me this year.”

Ismadi’s score could have been better, but luck was not on his side with at least one other runner.

“Village Tycoon is only an average horse, but I thought he was my best chance (in the Class 5B race over 1,600m),” he said.

“He ran on well, but hung in and ran second (to Bull Run).”

manyan@sph.com.sg