Fairway's Turf Online

Chinese Tea serves his best win yet

KUALA LUMOUR: Feb 26, 2023

A recent change of trainer seems to have benefited CHINESE TEA tremendously as the half-brother to champion sprinter AWESOME STORM sought to rebuild his stop-start career.

The Australian gelding by Magnus promised so much at the start of his career. He finished second in his racing debut in late 2019 but it took him eight months before he spotted silk again. He promptly won that but was out of action for another seven months.

That did not prevent CHINESE TEA from scoring back-to-back wins in March 2021 to complete a hattrick.

Since then, his runs have been well spaced-out. He managed to pick up one more win in Class 3 in March last year which earned him a crack at the Tunku Gold Cup (1200m).

CHINESE TEA was well beaten in the Cup and after one more run for a second, he was spelled again for seven months before trainer Frank Maynard took over the gelding.

Under Maynard, he has now raced four times since the middle of December for two placings before his impressive win in the Metro A event over 1100m at Sungei Besi here today.

Ridden by bang-in-form apprentice Nuqman Faris Rozi for the first time, CHINESE TEA gave the best performance of his career thus far when he accounted for some big names including the odds-on favourite AWESOME STORM, LONELY BOY and MOON FACE in the set-weight race.

MOON FACE set the pace and CHINESE TEA joined him on settling down and these two led the rest into the straight.

MOON FACE kicked away from CHINESE TEA at the top of the straight and was a clear leader at the 300m. But CHINESE TEA was winding up for a big effort which promptly came after the 200m.

CHINESE TEA swept past the leader with some ease 100m out to win by 1 3/4 lengths from LONELY BOY. AWESOME STORM finished third after having every chance in the race.

"It was my plan B," said Nuqman who won three races here yesterday and had another hattrick today, his other winners being TOP GUN, another half-brother to CHINESE TEA, and GOLDEN CHAMP.

"My instructions were to sit third or fourth behind the pace because there was plenty of speed horses in the race. But after jumping, my horse was very keen so I allowed him to go the front.

"Luckily, he began to relax once in front and he found a second gear when he came into the straight. He finished very well."

"The horse has really come on," said Maynard. "He's got to learn to relax a bit more and should be a high class horse but I think he is heading that way.

"It's a great effort as he went pretty hard early and finished off very strong. He's got a lot of potential but if we can resurrect a couple of things with him, he will come back to us a better horse.

"I was confident today. He's sound and everything's good about him. He did what I thought he could do. I might try a different gear to get him to relax in future."

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

1	CLASS 5 - 1400M
6	ENFORCE	HY Cheng	V Espindola	1
	(6 b.nz.g Pentire - Charmaine by Centaine)
3	Autumn Blitz	WC Lim	AK Lim	2
2	Saturday	BT Lim	S Sia	3
8	Tilsworth Mick	F Maynard	KC Tham	4

2	CLASS 5 - 1400M
4	LIM'S UNIQUE	L Moy	I Fikri	1
	(6 b.a.g Uncle Mo - Miss Concorde by Encosta De Lago)
10	Fardus	M Sukri	S Ruzaini	2
7	Mewtwo	S Siva	L De Souza	3
2	Tilsworth Jacobi	F Maynard	A Najib	4

3	CLASS 5 - 1700M
3	MAESTRO	I Ismadi	AK Lim	1
	(7 br.nz.g He's Remarkable - Bella Carolina by O'Reilly)
2	Harvest	KC Tiang	V Espindola	2
10	Qiji Auston	S Dunderdale	J Low	3
1	Skyscraper	AB Abdullah	HS Gill	4

4	CLASS 4 - 1300M
1	WISHUPONASTAR	MW Teh	HS Gill	1
	(6 ch.a.g Zoustar - Ravenous Lass by Stratum)
3	Perfect	S Siva	I Fikri	2
2	Mr Hanks	MP Thwaites	V Espindola	3
4	Safeer	AB Abdullah	AK Lim	4

5	CLASS 4 - 1300M
2	SKY SIXTY-ONE	S Cook	S Ruzaini	1
	(6 ch.a.g Echoes Of Heaven - La Pin by Pentire)
5	Intrepid	S Siva	L De Souza	2
6	Looks Good	EP Tan	S Shazmin	3
7	Arif	S Hamilton	S Sia	4

6	CLASS 3 - 1250M
3	GOOD MAN	HY Cheng	V Espindola	1
	(4 b.nz.g Belardo - Real Angel by O'Reilly)
2	Flying Durumi	R Lines	S Ruzaini	2
5	Hadeer	EP Tan	S Shazmin	3
9	Golden Lightning	WC Lim	M Lukman	4

7	CLASSES 3 & 4 - 1600M
6	TRINITY GENERAL	KC Tiang	KC Tham	1
	(6 b/br.a.h My Admiration - Double Fun by Dubleo)
7	Resurgence	S Siva	L De Souza	2
4	Golden Flame	KC Tiang	R Nuqman	3
2	Semantan Prince	S Dunderdale	T Ammar	4

8	CLASS 4 - 1600M
5	SHOW HAND	L Moy	I Fikri	1
	(5 ch.nz.g Highly Recommended - Yeah Barbie by Lord Of Warrior)
7	Leopard Eclipse	F Maynard	M Ewe	2
6	Hairy Fist	BT Lim	R Nuqman	3
4	Mr Hopkins	F Maynard	L De Souza	4

9	METRO A (SW) - 1100M
7	CHINESE TEA	F Maynard	R Nuqman	1
	(7 b.a.g Magnus - Forewarning by Magic Albert)
1	Lonely Boy	M Sukri	S Ruzaini	2
2	Awesome Storm	S Sunderdale	T Ammar	3
4	Moongate Light	R Lines	L De Souza	4

10	OPEN MAIDEN (WFA) - 1100M
3	TOP GUN	S Dunderdale	R Nuqman	1
	(4 ch.a.g Ruwi - Forewarning by Magic Albert)
9	Simlong Beach	S Hamilton	S Salee	2
8	Yinyang	AB Abdullah	KH Chong	3
5	James Bond	HY Cheng	V Espindola	4

11	CLASS 4 - 1100M
4	GOLDEN CHAMP	KC Tiang	R Nuqman	1
	(6 b.brz.h Mishipman - Conja by Cherokee Run)
2	Ronaldo's Dream	S Hamilton	M Ewe	2
10	Doctor Ginger	SY Lim	S Ruzaini	3
5	Miracle	S Siva	L De Souza	4

12	CLASS 5 - 1200M
2	PERFECT RUN	R Lines	CK Khaw	1
	(10 b.a.h Oratorio (IRE) - Country Kate by Bureaucracy)
1	Doge To The Moon	C Leck	A Suriya	2
5	Caorunn	S Hamilton	S Salee	3
4	Zazu	L Moy	M Ewe	4