Fairway's Turf Online

Hard-fought win for April Rain in debut

IPOH: Sep 24, 2011

APRIL RAIN, who won the last of his six runs in New Zealand when racing as EYEBALL, continued where he left off when he scored first-up in Malaysia today.

Alloted top weight in a Class 4 - 1200m sprint for home based horses at this special novelty meeting here, the five-year-old, ridden by apprentice Lai Kin Man, set the pace from the start and held on tenaciously to beat WIENER by a nose, with the pair five and a half lengths ahead of third-placed CHEEK TO CHEEK.

His first-up win completed a treble for veteran trainer Leong Poh Keong.

Leong had opened accounts in the opening event with comeback winner CERTAIN PRINCE (Captain Rio - Country Life by Nicolotte) whose last of two wins came in December 2009.

Leong then wrapped up the last two races with STRYKER (Van Nistelrooy - Centamira by Centaine) and APRIL RAIN.

It has been a long road back for the former who won three races in Singapore but his last success was achieved in January 2009.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1	CLASS 4 (HOME BASED) - 1600M
1	Certain Prince	P K Leong	K M Lai	1
4	Better Year	Seet	Wepner	2
2	Southern Conqueror	P K Leong	Wan	3
3	Joyful Affair	P K Leong	Djulkifli	4

2	CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1600M
6	Sassy Bee Bee	E Breukelen	K M Lai	1
3	Say No More	Danis	C K Tan	2
10	Up Ahead	Hoy	Barnabas	3
4	Dancing Grey	P K Leong	Kumarentheran	4

3	CLASS 4 (HOME BASED) - 1200M
3	Special Star	Hoy	Wepner	1
1	Actuarial Talent	P K Leong	K M Lai	2
7	You Little Ripper	P Lee	Kumarentheran	3
6	Supradyn	E Breukelen	Yusri	4

4	CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1600M
3	Mr Showpiece	Danis	J Nizam	1
7	Humble Harvest	P K Leong	Yusri	2
5	Well Beyond	Hoy	Barnabas	3
2	Break Through	E Breukelen	S C Liew	4

5	CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1600M
8	Dancing Supremo	E Breukelen	K Eirwan	1
5	Space Invader	K Coetzee	J Shankar	2
10	Eternal Cheers	P Lee	S S Vanan	3
2	Anish	Seet	Aify	4

6	CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1200M
1	Stryker	P K Leong	Barnabas	1
6	Royal Kazak	K Coetzee	J Shankar	2
9	The Pilot	Danis	C K Tan	3
8	Straight Money	E Breukelen	K M Lai	4

7	CLASS 4 (HOME BASED) - 1200M
1	April Rain	P K Leong	K M Lai	1
4	Wiener	Danis	J Shankar	2
2	Cheek To Cheek	Seet	Teh	3
3	Saga King	Danis	J Nizam	4