Fairway's Turf Online

White Hoof Bird soars to first Cup win

KUALA LUMPUR: Nov 20, 2022

WHITE HOOF BIRD winning the Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup - SLTC photo

It was third time lucky for WHITE HOOF BIRD when he ran out a comfortable winner in the RM150,000 Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup over 1400m at Sungei Besi here today.

Nearly 12 months ago, the Australian gelding had his first crack at a big race in the same Cup but finished sixth to VIOLET after being well back in the running.

Last April, WHITE HOOF BIRD came home fifth to runaway winner AWESOME STORM in the Tunku Gold Cup.

The son of Denman has performed consistently against some of the big names since then and raised his game a notch today to clinch his eighth win in 15 starts in Malaysia.

Apprentice Nuqman Faris Rozi, who landed his first trophy when he rode VIOLET to victory in the Cup last year, made the switch to ride WHITE HOOF BIRD and made the difference on the six-year-old today.

Nuqman had his mount settling just off the pace in fifth spot as the field settled down. WHITE HOOF BIRD moved up to third at the top of the straight and at this stage, the pacemaker GINGERELLA had made a breakaway to be three to four lengths clear.

But the leader went too early and could not sustained her run. She soon came under pressure. WHITE HOOF BIRD caught up with her at the 200m and raced away to win by two lengths.

"My instructions were to get into a handy position which I was able to," said Nuqman who is the most improved rider from last year when he rode 14 winners. "In the end my horse won easily."

With today's win, Nuqman now sits sixth on the jockey's table with 37 wins.

WHITE HOOF BIRD came to Malaysia with a record of one win in a Maiden at Goulburn and three placings in eight starts in Australia.

He made an immediate impact and was unbeaten in his first five runs in the country.

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

1	SPORTS TOTO 6D STAKES
1	CLASS 5 - 1400M
10	WHITE RABBIT	C Leck	K Pavinthran	1
	(4 b/br.nz.h Alamosa - Lady Cha Cha by Savabeel)
9	Trinity Revival	SY Lim	A Suriya	2
6	Beautiful One	L Moy	I Fikri	3
7	Kyo	R Lines	S Ruzaini	4

2	SPORTS TOTO 5D STAKES
2	CLASS 5 - 1400M
5	THE ICEMAN	C Leck	Clyde Leck	1
	(7 b.nz.g Darci Brahma - Danse Sauvage by Montjeu)
2	Chief Clerk	I Ismadi	KC Tham	2
1	Aspen	S Shanmugam	R Rueven	3
8	Calvados	P Lee	J Low	3
	*Deadheat for 3rd

3	SPORTS TOTO 4D STAKES
3	CLASS 5 - 1400M
7	WANTED PAYOUT	C Leck	Clyde Leck	1
	(4 b.nz.g Proisir - Zelt by Red Ransom)
3	Sacred Galaxy	P Lee	R Rueven	2
1	Leopard Eclipse	F Maynard	A Suriya	3
4	Miss Michelle	CC Ooi	KC Tham	4

4	CLASS 5 - 1400M
4	NAJWAN	AB Abdullah	M Ewe	1
	(5 br.nz.g Mongolian Khan - Mabsam by Stratum)
3	Topnotch	AB Abdullah	S Uzair	2
6	El Macho	HY Cheng	MM Firdaus	3
2	Obsidian	C Leck	Clyde Leck	4

5	SPORTS TOTO 4D ZODIAC STAKES
5	OPEN MAIDEN (WFA) - 1200M
2	XAR	AB Abdullah	S Uzair	1
	(4 b.nz.g American Pharoah - Posavina by Tiger Hill)
1	Top Gun	S Dunderdale	Clyde Leck	2
7	Magic Sixty-One	SY Lim	KC Tham	3
3	Mysterious Captain	R Lines	R Nuqman	4

6	SUPREME TOTO 6/58 STAKES
6	CLASS 3 - 1100M
3	FINAL TOUCH	HY Cheng	H Haikal	1
	(8 br.nz.g Perfectly Ready - Catalma by Old Deuteronomy)
1	Kruger	S Shanmugam	KC Tham	2
10	Vulcan	C Leck	Clyde Leck	3
6	Estijaab	AB Abdullah	MM Firdaus	4

7	SPORTS TOTO SUPREME CHALLENGE CUP
7	OPEN (SW) - 1400M
4	WHITE HOOF BIRD	SY Lim	R Nuqman	1
	(6 b/br.a.g Denman - Can She Move by Canny Lad)
5	Skydance Eclipse	F Maynard	R Rueven	2
12	War Dragon	L Moy	S Uzair	3
3	Gingerella	MW Teh	I Fikri	4

8	POWER TOTO 6/55 STAKES
8	CLASS 4 - 1300M
8	ACROBAT	R Lines	WK Lee	1
	(7 ch.nz.g Pins - Turf Fire by O'Reilly)
1	Fa Fa Star	S Dunderdale	Clyde Leck	2
5	Hairy Fist	SY Lim	R Nuqman	3
7	RS Diago	M Sukri	Y Aify	4

9	SPORTS TOTO 4D JACKPOT STAKES
9	CLASS 4 - 1300M
7	BLEU MARINE	HY Cheng	S Uzair	1
	(6 b.ir.g Dark Angel - Blue Picture by Peintre Celebre)
1	Shoqeet	AB Abdullah	M Ewe	2
2	Super Happy	KC Tiang	J Low	2
8	Cosmic Sands	S Hamilton	S Salee	4
	*Deadheat for 2nd

10	STAR TOTO 6/50 STAKES
10	CLASS 4 - 1300M
1	KANTHAKA	HY Cheng	HK Cheng	1
	(5 b.nz.g Showcasing - Rockelle by Rock Of Gibraltar)
4	Life In Sixty-One	SY Lim	R Rueven	2
2	Dragon Ryker	S Dunderdale	Clyde Leck	3
3	Asaad	AB Abdullah	S Uzair	4

11	CLASS 5 - 2000M
6	VALUE OF JUSTICE	WC Lim	SU Lim	1
	(10 b.a.g Daliapour - Amatilla by Redoute's Choice)
3	Success Street	S Cook	S Ruzaini	2
7	Silver Joy	HY Cheng	R Nuqman	3
2	Smart Investment	C Leck	Clyde Leck	4