Lunar launch for Smart Star up in Malaysia

Smart Star will forever be remembered as the horse who wrote the last chapter of the 182-year-old Singapore racing history on Oct 5.

A long shot ($164) that day, the staying six-year-old son of Star Witness came out of the blue to upstage bigger names like Lim’s Kosciuszko, Lim’s Saltoro and Makin to snag the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) – which was not only the very last renewal of the time-honoured classic, but the very last race held at Kranji.

Nearly four months have elapsed since, and that historic race has already faded into an erstwhile glorious past.

Kranji will not rise from the ashes, but its last winner’s racing career itself is fortunately not done and dusted.

On Jan 31, Smart Star’s name will pop back up on a race card, but 350km up north – in the RM100,000 (S$30,700) Chinese New Year Prosperity Trophy (1,600m) at Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur.

Every Lunar New Year ushers in new hopes – from how fortunes will change to how fat your hongbao will be.

This Year of the Snake is no different to trainer David Kok. He began it the same way he has done it in the last 52 years, reunion dinner with his Ipoh family.

One wish the naturalised Singaporean may have tossed in during the traditional yusheng is for his stable hero to mark his new Malaysian beginnings in the same auspicious manner he ended his previous Singaporean career.

Kok realises the uphill task faced by a horse resuming in unfamiliar surroundings against strong opposition, and over a trip which is not necessarily his best.

But the words he used still betrayed that silent hope he harboured when nobody believed before the Gold Cup exploit.

“I don’t think he is up to the form he was in when he won the Gold Cup, but the fitness is definitely there,” said Kok.

“A break of four months is a question mark. The 1,600m is also not his distance, but first-up, it’s okay.

“I’m happy with his condition. If he can finish in the first three, I’ll be happy.”

Many would be careful not to write Smart Star off twice, even if Kok admits it will be tougher with race fitness not being part of the equation this time.

“He might need the run. Most of the horses from Singapore take two to three runs before they win,” said Kok, the first ex-Kranji trainer to debut in Malaysia at the end of October, but who took a while before he got on board, eventually wrapping up 2024 on five winners from 50 starters.

“Eruption was one of the few exceptions, he won first-up last week (Jan 26).”

A different stomping ground is another unknown quantity.

“Some horses are not used to the track, especially as it tends to be yielding here. The water does not drain off as quickly as Kranji,” said Kok, who has yet to open his 2025 account in 24 starters.

“The track can get very slippery, and it’s been raining heavily in KL lately.

“So far he’s only galloped on the second (turf) track in his trials. We also need to see how he handles the main track.

“The good thing is it’s the long course and he’s drawn barrier one.”

Another positive spin to the five-time winner’s comeback ironically stems from a minor setback.

“After he arrived in KL in November and finished his quarantine, the plan was to run him first-up in the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (2,000m) on Dec 1,” said Kok.

“But I had to skip that race after he had a stone bruise. It was nothing serious.

“It turned out to be a good thing, though. He got three weeks more to get fitter.

“From December to January, he has trialled three times. He’s a stayer and has no speed, but he still trialled well.”

Brazilian jockey Laercio de Souza was the pilot at the second trial on Jan 7 with veteran jockey Saifudin Ismail aboard at the other two, including the last one on Jan 21 when he beat one home.

It is, however, de Souza who will be tasked of filling the big boots left by his Gold Cup-winning partner, top South African jockey Muzi Yeni who flew in specially for the ride.

“De Souza rode him in the second trial and said it was okay, but was very impressed with his last gallop when he worked very strong in 36sec,” said Kok.

“He told me: ‘Boss, the horse has improved, he’s very fit’.”

manyan@sph.com.sg