KUALA LUMPUR: January 4, 2025

Heart Of Fire set the wet track ablaze at Sungai Besi today when he led his rivals on a merry chase in the Class 3 – 1020m sprint on the No. 2 track.

It was a winning start to the new season for the Penang Gold Cup-winning partnership of trainer Cheng Han Yong and jockey Andre Luis Da Silva. They bagged the big race last Sunday with Lucky Magic.

Heart Of Fire, who managed a win over 1400m in soft going in New Zealand when racing as Hardcore Henry, revelled in the going to lead from start to finish, winning by 4-3/4 lengths.

He was always comfortably clear in the lead and just when it looked as though the others might catch up with him at the top of the straight, he sprinted away. 

Pacific Flash and Darc Bounty followed the winner home in an all-outside finish to the main event of the day.

Heart Of Fire was also placed twice in 12 starts in New Zealand and made a winning debut in Malaysia last November to win in Class 4. Three starts later, he made all the running to take Class 3 – 1275m handicap on the No. 2 track in May.

Cheng obviously knew he has a horse of quality in Heart Of Fire.

First, he sent the All Too Hard gelding to contest the Selangor Turf Club 4YO Sprint (1200m) but the gelding came up short, finishing sixth to Golden Pegasus.

Undaunted, he entered Heart Of Fire in the Group 1 Penang Sprint Trophy but was again unplaced. He led in both races but failed to run on towards the end.

Back to racing in Class 3, the Australian gelding found one to beat in a 1100m sprint last November but lost his way in two subsequent outings.

However, the five-year-old showed that he was back to his best and what he is capable of with a commanding performance today.

“Heart Of Fire ran very well today and he liked the inside track (No 2 track) a lot,” said Cheng.

“The win was the result of a combination of good horse and a good rider.”

Cheng is instrumental in bringing in Da Silva to ride in the country and regards him highly.

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