Tiang Kim Choi’s Super Manjung revels in the wet like a fish to water

Six-year-old mare strides home powerfully to take out trial No. 4

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Super Manjung (Shafiq Rizuan) racing past Dangerous Chance (Gordon Lim) to win trial No. 4 at Sungai Besi on Dec 16.

PHOTO: SELANGOR TURF CLUB

Brian Miller

On a wet Dec 16 morning, with the track at Sungai Besi in the yielding range, it was a mare that stole the spotlight at the trials.

Super Manjung truly relished the underfoot conditions in the fourth and last trial when she came from what looked like a hopeless position at the top of the home straight to win by half a length.

Earlier in the morning, Lucky Freedom and an unnamed three-year-old by Dubious and out of Wald posted easier wins in the first and second trial by 1¼ and 1½ lengths respectively.

But, for sheer dominance, it was Super Manjung who scored top marks.

Ridden by Shafiq Rizuan, the mare from Malaysian trainer Tiang Kim Choi’s stable was snagged back soon after the start and seemed content to sit near last as the field of five raced over the initial 500m.

She was still near last at the top of the stretch, but once they headed for home, Shafiq peeled her out widest – possibly for better ground – and from there, the two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey left it to Super Manjung to figure out the finish.

The Vancouver six-year-old – who was racing with pacifiers for the first time – was in her element.

Taking the bit, she made it a line of four at the 250m mark