First Group victory for Mahadi in Coronation Cup

Consistent galloper Good Star flew home from last to claim the RM250,000 (S$78,000) Group 1 Coronation Cup (1,600m) in Ipoh on Nov 16, handing trainer Mahadi Taib his maiden Group victory in three years of training.

- Sharon Zhang

Since branching out on his own in 2022, the low-key Singaporean conditioner has tasted his fair share of successes in Singapore and Malaysia, albeit not yet a Group race until the promising Good Star came along.

Among Mahadi’s six wins this season, the son of Shalaa has contributed to four of them.

He got off the mark in a Novice race (1,400m) at Sungai Besi on June 22, before taking out Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka Cup (1,800m) in a thriller on Aug 31.

Good Star lined up for his first Group 1 test in the Selangor Gold Cup (1,600m) on Sept 14, but he became riderless after jockey Khairil Zulkiflee fell in a racing accident caused by Platinum Emperor.

The Good Stable-owned galloper again showed his fighting spirit when winning the Asia Pacific Cup (1,800m) at his last start at Sungai Besi on Oct 26.