By Sharon Zhang, Singapore Turf Club
Metal World got up in a nail-biting finish to hand newly-licensed trainer Richard Lim his first win on Sunday.
The unfancied five-year-old son of Paynter ($282) came from last-to-first in a driving finish. He also gave Ipoh jockey Amirul Ismadi his first win since his Kranji comeback this year.
First-up after his last-start seventh in a similar race over the 1200m in November, Metal World tailed the field of 12 in the $50,000 Race 4 Division 2 race over 1000m as Bizar Wins (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) set a steady tempo upfront.
Resuming favourite Boy Xander (Manoel Nunes) was out to chase his second win in as many starts when he overtook the fading leader at the 300m, and that was when Lim’s first runner, My Dreamliner (John Sundradas) was also set alight down the middle of the track, catching a few by surprise with his sudden brilliance.
After a string of double-digit finishes from the six-year-old son of Dream Ahead, few expected him to run on at the finish.
Just when Lim thought he had his breakthrough, three to four horses swooped down on the outside, Miracle (Zyrul Nor Azman), Lim’s Knight (Shafrizal Saleh) and Surfie Boy (Wong Chin Chuen).
However, they had not reckoned with Metal World, who under a patient but assertive ride from Amirul, wouldn’t be left out of the equation.
It was a close tussle with Lim’s Knight, but the photo finish was in favour of Metal World, who denied the Daniel Meagher-trained nine-year-old of a win by a nose.
Lim could not have been happier with My Dreamliner holding on to third place another neck away. The winning time was 59.63 seconds for the 1000m on the Polytrack.
The Malaysian-born Singaporean handler had been waiting for his moment in the sun, which he eventually got at his 27th starter since being granted his trainer’s licence in December.
“Finally, my first one (winner),” said the relieved Lim who has been an assistant-trainer to Steven Burridge and Jason Lim in the last five years.
“He (Metal World) came over in good condition (from Jason Lim) and I gave him a break after his last few runs.
“He’s first-up today, so I told the boy (Amirul) to sit behind and be patient.
“I was very nervous because at first, I thought My Dreamliner was going to be my first winner, then I saw Metal World coming on the outside.
“I thought he can run good at his first run for me, but I did not expect him to win.
“My Dreamliner can be keen, so I put the pacifiers on to help him settle better. We expected him to run a better race today.
“He is on the quick back-up because the next available 1000m race is still far away, so I thought I might as well run him today.
“I want to thank my owners for their support and also thank the Club for giving me a licence and a chance to prove myself.
“I will continue to work hard and not let you guys down.”
Amirul had been riding in Ipoh and Penang last year after his six-months’ licence in Singapore expired in June 2020. He last rode a winner in Penang aboard the Evert van Breukelen-trained Andado on May 9 last year.
The youthful-looking lad said he listened to Lim’s riding instructions and was not fazed by the wide barrier at all.
“I know there will be a fast pace, so I don’t mind the outside barrier for him,” said the son of jockey-turned-trainer Ismadi Ismail and nephew of former Malaysian multiple-champion jockey Azhar Ismail.
“I gave him a nice breather halfway, and he gave a good turn of foot in the straight. It was a nice finish.
“It was tight in the end, but I knew I got the win.
“Very happy to be back and to get my first winner.”
Metal World has now taken his record to four wins, two seconds and one third from 24 starts for total stakes earnings past the $160,000 mark for the Metal World Stable.
Following Lim’s first win, trainer Leslie Khoo now remains the only one among 22 trainers in Kranji yet to break the duck. The Singaporean conditioner saddled three runners on Sunday and Qilin Top Form (Saifudin Ismail) came half-a-length late to finish second behind Footstepsonthecar in the $20,000 Maiden race over the mile.
