It’s has been a while since a galloper stirred up the imagination of the Malaysian racing fans like MISTY SWIFT did at Sungei Besi here today.

The New Zealand gelding landed in the country a few months back with a modest record of one win (a Three-Year-Old Maiden) and two placings in 14 starts back home.

But the five-year-old quickly showed just how much he has improved since arriving in the country when he scored an easy win in his Malaysian debut in a Class 4 — 1200m handicap here last month.

MISTY SWIFT raised his game a few more notches when tested in the Max Two Stakes over 1200m today, and punters were right on the money when they sent him out the RM6 favorite.

The son of Reliable Man never gave his backers any anxious moment.

Leading jockey Nuqman Faris Rozi had him settled second behind the pacemaker MONDAY. But as soon as the field straightened up for home, Nuqman let his mount go and MISTY SWIFT swept past the leader in a matter of strides, then drew away to win by 11 1/2 lengths.

“Very nice horse and I think he will go all the way,” said trainer Shane Ellis.

“He has improved a lot since his last win. I didn’t do much with him, just kept him fresh in between races.

“It (the win today) has come at a right time because the New Zealand sales is on now. Hopefully I can go down there and find another one like him!”

“This is a weak field,” said Nuqman when commenting on the big margin of victory.

(Topweight SHIMI GO, unbeaten in two starts, and TAKREEM, a runner up last time out, were course scratchings.)

“But he has a big heart and we will definitely see more of him next year.”