3 minute read
A masterly ride by Wong Chin Chuen saw ANTIPODEAN ( 4 b.nz.g Derryn – Pakapunch by Per Incanto) snatched a thrilling win in the RM100,000 Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup over 1400m at Sungai Besi here today.
Wong was riding in the country of his birth for the first time after a successful stint in South Korea and seeing out the last few weeks of action in Singapore.
Antipodean normally races much closer to the pace but this time he had to come from a long way back to pick up his ninth win in 10 starts.
Out in front, Berry Bliss was the early leader but VIOLET, the 2021 winner of this race, took over the running on settling down and led from BERRY BLISS and AWESOME STORM. ANTIPODEAN was ninth, seven lengths off the the leader, at the 800m.
BERRY BLISS snatched the lead from a tiring VIOLET at the 400m with the rest of the field bnuching up behind them. Wong had to take ANTIPODEAN the widest of them all for his run.
BERRY BLISS broke away to a three-length lead at the 200m and looked all over the winner until ANTIPODEAN flashed home in the last 50m to win by three-quarter of a length in the set-weight contest.
CHEVAL BLANC also doing good work at the finish to clinch third placing, just a nose behind BERRY BLISS.
"I am lucky to get om him," said Wong. "I feel he's the best four-year-old in Malaysia at the moment."
"It's defnitely not what we wanted, a bit too far back than we expected. Because of the draw (7) and the horses kicking up on the inside I couldn't get a good spot in the early stages. I needed to take the risk and drop back to save ground. But the horse did really well.
"At the top of straight start I started to pick him up and make my run on the outside. He just kept making up ground, stayed focus and hit the line really well. He has a bright future and I believe he is even better over longer trips."
"ANTIPODEAN just kept doing it," declared trainer Simon Dunderdale.
"He didn't look halfway in the race he was going to pick them up but Wong got to work on him and pulled him wide. We couldn't actually see him on TV (at the home turn). He was just too good.
"He's an unusual horse, hard to find and I am lucky to have him in my stable."
Well, Dunderdale did pick ANTIPODEAN up for NZ$23,000 at the Ready To Run Sale and what a purchase it has been.