Fairway's Turf Online

Nurshahril strikes in 18th ride

SINGAPORE: Feb 19, 2016

Nurshahril Nordin guides TROPICAL FOREST past REAL GOODMAN to
register his first win — SNTC photo

The number 18 might considered auspicious by the Chinese, but it turned out to be a lucky one too for Nurshahril Nordin.

The former security guard, with no background in racing when he answered a job ad to train as an apprentice, notched his first win in his 18th ride astride TROPICAL FOREST in the Class 5, Div 2 - 1200m handicap on the polytrack at Kranji here tonight.

It was a horse Nurshahril knows very well from three years ago when he was indentured to Mok Zhan Lun.

Nurshahril joined Alwin Tan this year and TROPICAL FOREST has been with Tan since late 2013.

Now nine years old, TROPICAL FOREST was returning to the winner's circle for the first time since November 2014 and if not for the Strangles isolation, he was supposed to be out of Singapore by now.

"He was actually booked to go to Malaysia but could not move after the Strangles isolation," said Tan. "He’s won and I will have to discuss with the owner what he wants to do with the horse, but for sure, we’ll enjoy the win tonight – both the horse’s and my apprentice’s."

It was the eighth win in 67 starts for TROPICAL FOREST who was actually purchased by Malaysian trainer Chong Keng Leong for A$16,000 as a yearling but has done all his racing in Singapore.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE: Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position

1	MAIDEN, DIV 2 - 1600M
2	ARCHER COMPANY	M Freedman	E Chaves	1
	(3 b.nz.g Darci Brahma - Magical Moment by Sadler's Wells)
7	Royal Explorer	P Shaw	B Vorster	2
5	Gold Reserve	S Yeoh	K Fujii	3
10	Rainbow Warrior	S Lam	CC Wong	4

2	RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1200M (POLYTRACK)
3	ELITE STAR	S Baertschiger	E Chaves	1
	(3 b.nz.g Pins - Chico by High Chaparral)
1	Flying Shadow	B Dean	S John	2
2	Nova Master	D Kok	D Beasley	3
4	Warship	P Shaw	B Vorster	4

3	KRANJI STAKES C - 1600M
8	LIM'S AFFECTION	S Burridge	D Beasley	1
	(4 b.nz.m Elusive City - En Pointe by Carnegie)
5	Ride Of Valkyries	M Clements	A Munro	2
2	Winning Cause	P Shaw	B Vorster	3
7	Baab Al Nasr	S Burridge	CC Wong	4

4	CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1200M (POLYTRACK)
4	TROPICAL FOREST	HW Tan	N Nurshahril	1
	(9 gr.a.g Enforcer - De Grey by Paris House)
10	Real Goodman	S Lam	S John	2
7	Browne's Anatomy	O'Hara	Chavez	3
9	Sacred Crown	M Yusof	D Beasley	4

5	BENCHMARK 67 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
8	STAR GENERAL	Khoo	WS Chan	1
	(4 b.a.g Mint Lane - Lifting by Zabeel)
5	Sun Pioneer	D Koh	Woodworth	2
4	Northern Boss	ZL Mok	R Hasri	3
7	Rich Fortune	HW Tan	D Beasley	4

6	MAIDEN, DIV 1 - 1600M
4	FALKIRK LEAD	O'Hara	A Munro	1
	(4 br.nz.m Falkirk - Enchanted by Volksraad)
5	Eaglesham	S Gray	B Vorster	2
3	Easy Dragon	T Kieser	Soo	3
8	Sun Dance	D Koh	Woodworth	4

7	CLASS 4 - 1000M (POLYTRACK)
1	EATONS GOLD	M Walker	CK Ng	1
	(7 br.a.g Jet Spur - Road Ranger by Encosta De Lago)
5	Ladrone	S Baertschiger	J Powell	2
6	Nova Eagle	D Kok	Zaki	3
4	Jobodwana	C Brown	A Munro	4

8	CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1200M (POLYTRACK)
7	BEAT TO QUARTERS	D Hill	CC Wong	1
	(8 ch.a.g General Nediym - Swell Time Girl by Niccolo Polo)
8	Superb Seven	S Baertschiger	A Da Silva	2
10	Real Hero	HW Tan	WT Chung	3
1	Always Ahead	O'Hara	TH Koh	4

9	CLASS 4 - 1400M
1	INFANTRY	HW Tan	D Beasley	1
	(3 b.nz.g Tavistock - The Nightingale by Stravinsky)
2	ROCKFAST	M Walker	Chavez	1
	(4 b.a.g Fastnet Rock - Gypsy Princess by Sadler's Wells)
5	Cordoba	D Hill	A Munro	3
6	Mazandaran	S Gray	I Amirul	4
	*Dead-heat for 1st