Fairway's Turf Online

Barnabas finds luck with Elusive Emperor

PENANG: Sep 10, 2023

With only three races on the card and most of the senior riders staying away, it was the perfect opportunity for the lesser lights to shine here today.

And Thavakumar Barnabas did just that.

Rides have been few and far between for the jockey, having just ridden in six races prior to the meeting today. So he must have been pleased to be given rides in all three races this afternoon.

Barnabas scored in one of them, ELUSIVE EMPEROR, and it was not a win that punters expected.

After a win and a second last May, the New Zealand gelding was unplaced in last two runs so he started at long odds in the Class 5 - 1100m sprint today.

The 12-year-old settled well off the pace till well into the straight. But he opened up in fine style in the final 200m in the soft going and raced away to win by two and a quarter lengths. He paid RM87 for a win.

There was a bigger shock in the opening race when PENANG GENERAL broke through for his maiden win in 35 starts to pay RM173 for a win.

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

1	CLASS 5 - 1600M
6	PENANG GENERAL	B Ng	Z Syafifie	1
	(6 b.nz.g Jimmy Choux - Dear Way by Thewayyouare)
1	Davinci	T Asogan	HS Gill	2
4	Overseer	S Hamilton	SN Shiva	3
2	Mystical Star	B Ng	M Ewe	4

2	CLASS 5 - 1100M
2	ELUSIVE EMPEROR	S Hamilton	TK Barnabas	1
	(12 b.nz.g Elusive City - Race Empress by St Petersburg)
8	Penang Bank	B Ng	R Narendran	2
5	Lady Asta	P Arumugam	HK Cheng	3
4	Atlantic Arrow	T Asogan	SN Shiva	4

3	CLASSES 4 & 5 - 1400M
2	JOEY	S Hamilton	HS Gill	1
	(6 b.nz.g Power - Lyla by Rip Van Winkle)
4	Ekraar Phoenix	B Ng	SN Shiva	2
3	Multiblue Shark	S Cook	M Ewe	3
9	Leedstheway	P Arumugam	R Narendran	4