Fairway's Turf Online

Sacred Guru gets it right for comeback win

KUALA LUMPUR: Sep 3, 2023

SACRED GURU coasting to victory in comeback win - SLTC photo

A daring tactic adopted by jockey Lim Shung Uai saw SACRED GURU scored an upset win in the Metro A set-weight event over 1500m at Sungei Besi here today.

Just a week ago, the Savabeel gelding sat right behind the pace before taking over the lead 400m from home. But he found GOOD FIGHT a shade too strong in a fight to the finish line, going down by a neck in a Class 3 - 1400m handicap.

Today, the (RM14) favourite SINCERELY shot to a clear lead soon after the start but SACRED GURU, drawn the outside barrier 10, soon took over and quickly broke away. At the 800m, he was six lengths clear of the field.

SACRED GURU came back to the field at the top of the straight and SINCERELY was within half a length of the leader at the 400m. But the leader refused to be beaten. He raised another effort in the run home and drew clear again in the concluding stages to win by two and a quarter lengths. He paid RM71.

It was a grand comeback for the 10-year-old who landed a hattrick in 2020 and picked up one more win a year later, after winning just once in 20 starts in Singapore.

"The instruction was to sit handy but the pace was too slow so I decided to lead," said Lim who rode SACRED GURU for the first time last week. "He has improved a lot from his run last week."

"Obviously, I would have liked him to win last week," said trainer Frank Maynard. "I backed him up because he has been working like a Class 1 horse. On trackwork, he proved that he is up to the better level.

"Hopefully full steam ahead in a fortnight (in the Selangor Gold Cup) and he might get in on the minimum (weight)."

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

1	CLASS 5 - 1200M
1	RAHOTU	R Lines	M Seelan	1
	(6 b.ir.g Invincible Spirit - Insoumise by Galileo
3	Northern Knight	M Sukri	WW Cheah	2
4	Smart Master	SY Lim	SU Lim	3
5	Dark Wizard	HY Cheng	HK Cheng	4

2	CLASS 5 - 1200M
4	MY MONEY	S Hamilton	M Ewe	1
	(9 br.nz.g He's Remarkable - Seek A Fortune by Kaapstad)
11	Autumn Blitz	WC Lim	M Ekdihar	2
2	Thundergod	S Hamilton	SU Lim	3
8	Unleash The Dragon	AB Abdullah	E Ferreira	4

3	CLASS 5 - 1200M
3	CHINO DINERO	WC Lim	M Lukman	1
	(9 b.a.g Street Boss - Tell It How It Is by Royal Academy)
4	Quick Shosha	EP Tan	M Ekdihar	2
5	Barbarian	NM Selvan	Z Khairil	3
9	Tilsworth Jacobi	F Maymard	S Hafis	4

4	CLASS 5 - 1400M
4	HAPPY BIRTHDAY	HY Cheng	HK Cheng	1
	(7 b.nz.m Shamexpress - Charleston by Victory Dance)
3	General Cheng	KC Tiang	M Ekdihar	2
11	Beautiful One	L Moy	I Fikri	3
6	Amazing Choice	F Maynard	S Hafis	4

5	CLASS 5 - 1400M
2	ROCK N ROLL	I Ismadi	S Hafis	1
	(7 ch.nz.g El Roca - Lola Beetle by Snippetson)
5	Smooth Operator	M Sukri	R Nuqman	2
7	Mewtwo	S Siva	I Fikri	3
8	Storm To Win	SY Lim	M Ekdihar	3
	*Deadheat for 3rd

6	CLASS 4 - 1600M
7	TAUBOSS	SY Lim	S Ruzaini	1
	(11 b.nz.g Sir Percy - Cabella by Senor Pete)
8	Lim's Unique	L Moy	I Fikri	2
1	Cavalla Court	NM Selvan	AK Lim	3
10	Shangani	F Maynard	S Hafis	4

7	METRO A (SW) - 1500M
10	SACRED GURU	F Maynard	SU Lim	1
	(10 b.nz.g Savabeel - Biriyani by Danehill)
6	Sincerely	R Lines	L De Souza	2
3	Skydance Eclipse	F Maynard	R Rueven	3
9	Ragnar	CC Ooi	MM Firdaus	4

8	SUPREME B (SW) - 1250M
9	SHANG CHI	HY Cheng	AB Riduan	1
	(6 b.a.g Dissident - Ming Zhi Cosmos by Duke Of Marmalade)
3	No Fun No Gain	NM Selvan	Z Khairil	2
4	Zanjabeel	AB Abdullah	E Ferreira	3
5	Golden Sardine	HY Cheng	MM Firdaus	4

9	CLASS 4 - 1100M
1	BLACK QUAIL	R Lines	M Seelan	1
	(10 br.nz.g Coats Prince - Sefidi by Bigstone)
5	Gold Sky Billion	KC Tiang	R Nuqman	2
2	Dragon Cavallo	HY Cheng	J Low	3
7	Mr Hanks	S Ellis	I Fikri	4

10	CLASS 4 - 1100M
7	UNDER OATH	F Maynard	KC Tham	1
	(6 br.arg.g Manipulator - Udaquiola by Pure Prize)
5	Top Gun	S Dunderdale	T Ammar	2
8	Ball And Chain	S Shanmugam	S Hafis	3
2	Magic General	SY Lim	SU Lim	4

11	CLASS 4 - 1100M
5	TERMS OF REFERENCE	S Hamilton	KC Tham	1
	(11 b.nz.g Per Incanto - Myladys by Kingfisher)
4	Simlong Beach	S Hamilton	SU Lim	2
2	Pacific Empire	KC Tiang	R Nuqman	3
6	Capone	HY Cheng	MM Firdaus	4

12	CLASS 5 - 1200M
10	MY FIRST MILLION	EP Tan	S Shazmin	1
	(8 br.arg.g Fortity - Stormy Epistola by Bernstein)
3	Big Bad Mama	MW Teh	AK Lim	2
2	Hello Boss	L Moy	I Fikri	3
8	Penang Star	R Lines	WW Cheah	4