ANTIPODEAN PREVAILS ON CLASS

Dunderdale's Gl winner digs deep to score in NZB Ready To Run Sale Championship

- Sharon Zhang

Antipodean (Bernardo Pinheiro, orange silks) denying Duma (Nuqman Rozi) of a win in the NZB Ready To Run Sale Championship (1,400m) on Oct 12. PHOTO: SLTC

(SLTC)

Visiting jockey Bernardo Pinheiro was pumped after Antipodean clawed back courageously from the jaws of defeat to capture the RM300,000 (S$92,000) New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Ready To Run Sale Championship (1,400m) at Sungai Besi on Oct 12.

Trained by reigning Malaysian champion trainer Simon Dunderdale, the son of Derryn lost no marks at his last-start fourth to Lucky Magic in the Group 1 Selangor Gold Cup (1,600m) on Sept 14.

But Pinheiro, who was on board Antipodean, thought the 2024 Selangor Gold Cup winner would have landed his second Group 1 success if not for the racing mishap that happened in the back straight.

Then, Platinum Emperor (Marc Lerner) mis-strode and fell, causing Good Star and Valois to fall in the process. While Antipodean was spared from the accident, Pinheiro had to bring the five-year-old further out wide from the back, but the pair had too much ground to make up in the end.

With the 59.5kg topweight jumping from gate eight this time, Pinheiro elected to sit Antipodean ($14) in fifth and one-off the rails, while Arigato (Mohd Zaki) and Campionessa (Troy See) set a solid tempo up front in the second leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock series.

Passing the 400m, Antipodean and Duma (Nuqman Rozi) let down together, but it was the latter who had the edge with his neck in front.

With the leaders fading away, it was clear that it was going to be a close fight between the two NZB Ready To Run sale graduates.