FAITHFUL LEADER LOOKS SET FOR MALAYSIAN DEBUT

Golden Sixty Three also impresses when winning his Kuala Lumpur trial on Dec 24

- Brian Miller

Remember Faithful Leader? Okay, you do not. Cannot blame you. After all, it has been almost two years since he last showed up in a race.

That was way back at Kranji on Jan 7, 2023.

That day, under a strong ride by apprentice Akmazani Marzuki, Faithful Leader ran to the line a two-length winner over Manoel Nunes' mount, Renzo.

In hibernation until Dec 10, the six-year-old showed up in a trial at Sungai Besi.

It was his first official outing on Malaysian turf and he did not disgrace himself, finishing second to stablemate Songgong Hera in a blanket finish.

His trainer, Richard Lim, would have been happy with the show and even happier after Faithful Leader's second trial on Dec 24.

Indeed, he would have felt like Christmas had come early.

After all, it was on a track rated yelding that his runner nosed out the Richard Lines-trained Moongate Light to take the honours.

Faithful Leader did not break any track records. He clocked Imin 2.13sec for the 1,000m dash. But Lim would have noted that his charge was striding out well at the finish.

He would also have noted that it was a muddling sort of trial.