Ricky Choi wins on debut
Wealthyness victorious for ex-Macau-based trainer in the very last race in Sungai Besi
KUALA LUMPUR A frustrating afternoon in his debut meeting at Sungai Besi on Nov 17, turned out well for trainer Ricky Choi Chun Wai in the end, when Wealthyness ($16) outclassed his rivals to win by six lengths in the last race.
The day started disappointingly for the former Macau-based trainer when his first runner Lucky To Win finished a tame seventh in the second race.
His next runner Luen On Feelings gave a good showing, finishing third behind Noah Khan ($28) in the following race.
Who Love To Dance probably found the trip too short in the main event, the Metro A (1,400m), won by Berry Bliss ($25).
Choi’s next runner Oriental Halflamma started odds-on but found Big Bad Mama ($29) too good, going down second, 5¼ lengths behind the winner.
Brother Lian’an was well-backed but finished sixth.
Choi’s next runner Handsome Joyful tried to make all the running but ended up third.
Wealthyness, a winner of six races in Macau, redeemed some pride for Choi when he outsprinted them all, leading from start to finish.
“This horse worked and trialled impressively recently, so we were confident he would run very well against today’s field,” said jockey Jackson Low Kang Cheng who rode all but one (Who Love To Dance) of Choi’s seven runners.
“He did what I expected with a soft lead, travelling well and then winning easily.”
While Wealthyness had been working well, the manner of his win surprised Choi.
“The horse had failed many times on wet tracks in Macau,” said Choi of the Divine Prophet six-year-old.
“The track was rated ‘yielding’ but it was more like ‘soft’ towards the end.
“The Selangor Turf Club track is much better than what we have at Taipa.
“Anyway, I’m happy I managed to saddle a winner in my first meeting. It proved my decision to relocate to Malaysia was the right one.
“I am also thankful that many owners beleived in me and transferred their horses to me. Many of the 27 horses I have here were from other stables.”
On his earlier results, Choi believed that it could have been better had the track been firmer.
“A few of my runners were more accustomed to racing on sand in Macau, so I wasn’t sure how they would perform on the yielding track,” he said.
“Oriental Halflamma was quite hopeless on the turf in Macau. So it was a good result for him to run second today.”
“For all my runners, today’s runs were their first in several months.
“It was a good start for me today although it could have been better. I hope it gets better.”
SELANGOR TURF CLUB/TURFONLINE
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