Fairway's Turf Online

Kong Fu Panda floors rivals in Gold Vase

IPOH: Jun 16, 2024

KONG FU PANDA winning the 2024 BYD Ipoh Gold Vase

After several tries and a couple of near misses in the Group 1 races, KONG FU PANDA finally landed the knock-out blow when he revelled on a very wet track to win the RM150,000 BYD Ipoh Gold Vase over 1100m on the straight course here today.

After taking local racing by storm with seven wins in 2021 and 2022, the son of Showcasing beat all but BLACK THORN in the Selangor Gold Cup (1600m) in 2022.

The New Zealand gelding gave some very good performances against the best last year but was placed six times without winning.

KONG FU PANDA finally returned to the winner's circle last March when he won the Chairman's Trophy, a race restricted to five-year-olds & below over 1400m at Sungai Besi.

KONG FU PANDA was headed for victory in the Tunku Gold Cup (1200m) a month later but was caught on the line by CHEVAL BLANC, beaten by a head.

Given a let-up after the Cup, KONG FU PANDA came back stronger in the Gold Vase today.

With bang-in-form jockey Rizuan Shafiq in the saddle, KONG DUN PANDA raced in midfield till the course proper.

At the 400m, SUPER HAPPY led but was headed momentarily soon after by SENGON SOLOMAN with SHIMI GO and CHINESE TEA making it almost four in a line. KONG FU PANDA was just behind the leading quartet.

SUPER HAPPY regained the lead at the 150m but was then quickly tackled by KONG FU PANDA who drew away in the closing stages to win by two and three-quarter lengths. SHIMI GO beat SUPER HAPPY for second.

"He (KONG FU PANDA) was unlucky when beaten a head by CHEVAL BLANC in the Tunku Gold Cup," said trainer Tiang Kim Choi.

"He worked well on Tuesday but with the rain today, I didn't know how he was going to handle the going. In the end, it was a very impressive performance on the soft track. He won convincingly, he's a fighter and there will be more wins coming from him.

"I didn't do much on him (KONG FU PANDA) today, said Shafiq who had a winning double today. (He won on GOLDEN CUP in the opening race.)

"He travelled well behind the leaders and when he got to better ground in the last 300m, he went into another gear. No one's going to catch him today, he was just too good.

"I was not worried about the (soft) going because I know the horse well. He could handle it and run all day."

Tiang paid NZ$38,000 for the horse at the Ready To Run sale and KONG FU PANDA has now won nine races in 30 starts.

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

1	BYD IPOH GBC HANDICAP
1	CLASS 5 - 1200M
10	GOLDEN CUP	HY Cheng	R Shafiq	1
	(5 ch.nz.g Turn Me Loose - Anniesstar by Zed)
6	Strap Marks	R Lines	R Nuqman	2
3	Knight Love	KF Wong	HS Gill	3
12	Beihai Turbo	K Coetzee	KC Tham	4

2	BYD NO 1 HANDICAP
2	CLASS 5 - 1200M
11	WHITE RABBIT	C Leck	S Saddam	1
	(5 b/br.nz.h Alamosa - Lady Cha Cha by Savebeel)
13	Kpieh	PK Leong	A Nazir	2
15	Good Luck Charm	P Lee	J Chuah	3
2	Gold Sky Express	WC Lim	AK Lim	4

3	BYD DOLPHIN HANDICAP
3	CLASS 4 - 1200M
5	LUPIN	T Asogan	HS Gill	1
	(6 b.a.g Gingerbread Man - Deemed Priceless by Anabaa)
4	Joey	S Hamilton	S Salee	2
7	Qiji Diamond	NM Selvan	A Azizi	3
12	Straight N Arrow	R Lines	J Daniel	4

4	LEXUS ES HANDICAP
4	CLASS 5 - 1600M
2	BANG BINGO	K Coetzee	S Ruzaini	1
	(9 ch.a.g Helmet - Sacrlet Silk by General Nediym)
10	Trinity Honor	P Lee	SU Lim	2
11	Unlimited Star	R Lines	J Daniel	3
1	Village Tycoon	I Ismadi	KC Tham	4

5	LEXUS NX HANDICAP
5	CLASS 5 - 1600M
3	DISCRETELY RED	KF Wong	S Saddam	1
	(10 b.nz.g Redwood - Scarlet Queen by Fasliyev)
7	Silver Joy	S Hamilton	KC Tham	2
8	Soon You Think	K Coetzee	Z Syafifie	3
4	Miej	WC Lim	AK Lim	4

6	BYD IPOH GOLD VASE
6	OPEN (SW) - 1100M (STR)
10	KONG FU PANDA	KC Tiang	R Shafiq	1
	(5 b.nz.g Showcasing - Hermitage by Generous)
11	Shimi Go	HY Cheng	S Ruzaini	2
9	Super Happy	KC Tiang	R Nuqman	3
5	Chinese Tea	F Maynard	S Hafis	4

RACES 7 TO 10 ABANDONED DUE TO ADEVRSE WEATHER CONDITIONS