Kuala Lumpur, November 30

When the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor was last run in 2019, D’Great Timing (Good Journey – Miss Covet by Covetous) was at the top of his game. Having won the Perak Derby (2400m) early that year, he asserted himself in the 2000m contest, before going on to win the Derby for a second time the following year.

The Covid-19 pandemic that broke out in 2020 brought racing to a halt for several months that year and again in 2021. As a consequence, none of the big races were held in these two years in Malaysia except for the Perak Derby which was run in early 2020.

With no recent big contest over 2000m to go on, trying to narrow down the field of the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor this Sunday will be no easy task.

D’Great Timing, now ten years old, has won just one race in the last two years and is a pale shadow of his old self. So a repeat seems unlikely.

On the other hand, Black Thorn (Redwood – Veva Girl by Fastnet Rock), who finished second to D’Great Timing in 2019, is still racing at his peak, winning the Selangor Gold Cup (1600m) last month. Unplaced in two runs since, the New Zealand gelding, with 10 wins to his name, should start as one of the favourites.

Sharing pride of place in the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor this Sunday are Ahtims Klis and Skydance Eclipse.

Ahtims Klis (Playing God – Miss Mahal by Canny Lad) reeled off four consecutive wins early in the season and bounced back with another success in July. The mare, winner of two races in Australia, has won six times since she arrived in Malaysia.

Although she has won only up to 1600m, she can definitely get the distance of the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor. In the Coronation Cup (1600m) on November 6, she came from rear of the field to finish second to surprise winner Elite Remarkable (Sebi Halo – Baaltis by Incurable), whose previous three wins have all come in Class 4.

Elite Remarkable won five races up to 1400m in Argentina but failed to show up in 12 starts in Singapore. He will be all out to prove that his Coronation Cup success was no fluke.

Unplaced in four starts in Singapore, Skydance Eclipse (Foxwedge – Mothwing by Encosta De Lago) began his Malaysian campaign in brilliant fashion, winning five of his first six starts in the country.

The Australian gelding has won two more races since, but his last success came seven starts back in May. He failed to show in the Selangor Gold Cup and was a creditable fourth in the Coronation Cup and the 2000m trip could be a big ask for the eight-year-old.

Kong Fu Panda and Berry Bliss, two of the most exciting horses that emerged this year, will aim to make their presence felt.

Kong Fu Panda (Showcasing – Hermitage by Generous) has won seven times in 13 starts since making his debut in May last year.

The four-year-old had his first big test in the Selangor Gold Cup, finishing second to Black Thorn. So another chance beckon for youngest galloper in the line-up.

Berry Bliss (Charm Spirit – Star Class Eagle by Domesday) has won six of his 11 starts since making his debut last March. However, all his wins have come in the lower classes, the latest last week when he beat Target and Teller – two other horses in the line-up this week – over 1775m. The Piala Emas Sultan Selangor will be a big step-up for him.

Target (War Front – Temperence Gift by Kingmambo), though unplaced in the Selangor Gold Cup, is a proven middle-distance performer who has won eight times up to 1800m in Ireland, Singapore and Malaysia.

Teller (Heliostatic – Jolie Joan by Giant’s Causeway) is the only runner who has tasted success over 2000m this season.

Brought into Singapore with the big races in mind, after three wins in Argentina up to 2200m including two listed races, he failed to show up in four runs at Kranji including the Stewards’ Cup and the Singapore Derby last year.

Moved across the causeway to Malaysia, Teller scored his only win last April and has been placed in four of his six starts since. He might just be the one to watch this Sunday given his pedigree.

Although a huge disappointment in the Selangor Gold Cup, Eye Guy (Bradbury’s Luck – Lacada Point by Giant’s Causeway) deserves another chance. Winner of four races in Singapore, he has bounced back this season with three wins up to 1800m.

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