The 1600m G1 Coronation Cup (Race 3) makes a return to the Malaysian racing calendar and will be conducted at Perak Turf Club on Sunday.
Six of the twelve candidates lined up in the G1 Selangor Gold Cup three weeks ago, including winner BLACK THORN, so another keenly contested affair is expected from some of the country’s best performed middle distance gallopers.
BLACK THORN avenged for his unlucky defeats in previous group one performances with a fast finishing burst to take out the Selangor Gold Cup last month and will prove hard to beat again against similar opposition. The nine year old has been relaxing much better in recent starts and his quick turn of acceleration can be a powerful weapon when he times his run to perfection. He finished runner up in the last edition of this race back in 2019.
SHANGHAI NIGHTS has only started three times this season but his eye catching effort to come from last at the 400m mark to finish 4th in that cup race indicated that he may be back to the form he displayed two years back when he won eight races in succession.
LONELY BOY has been lugging big weights recently but is racing in career best from. The six year old closed off well to finish 3rd, two lengths from BLACK THORN in the cup and his only visit to Ipoh was a 1400m win back in June.
AHTIMS KLIS has been dealt a blow with the wide draw but does have a good record on the Ipoh circuit. The seven year old mare has won five times this year and was far from disgraced running 5th in the Selangor Cup.
READY TO ROCK won this race in 2018 and he turned the clock back last start when he powered home to finish 2nd in KL a fortnight ago. The ten year old looks a genuine place prospect for the exotics.
Of the lightweights, DIRECTOR on current form looks well placed with the 50kg and backs up quickly from the race also contested by CHINA CAPTAIN here last Sunday. CHINA CAPTAIN missed the start on that occasion but has done a good job considering he was a maiden galloper this time twelve months ago.
