Mohd Zafir will have his final season in 2005.

The veteran Ipoh trainer, who won the RM150,000 Anniversary Cup with BABY STAR last Sunday, was one of three trainers who was asked to show cause why their licences should be renewed for the new season in Penang last Saturday.

The Anniversary Cup success was only his third for the season, down from six winners last year and a slight improvement on his one-win record in 2002.

The MRA licencing committee has decided to grant him a licence for one final year.

Penang based trainer Lim Kwee Huat will have his licence renewed for 2005.

Lim’s winners has dwindled his the departure of his former deputy, Leslie Khoo. The latter, a former top local jockey, finished second in the table last year with 32 winners and is fifth currently with 24 winners.

Lim has managed just four winners, but the stable has been boosted by the transfer of several horses from another trainer in recent weeks. He had eight winners last year and 11 the year before.

Meanwhile, trainer David Chua was relinquished his 'A' licence and has been granted an assistant trainer's licence. He will be attached to Sungei Besi based trainer Peter Clarke.

Penang based Chua is rock bottom of the trainers’ table with just a win this year, whereas he saddled three winners last season. He also managed just one winner in 2002. 

The future of jockeys Samsuri Tarjalia and Lim Yee Hua will hinge on the outcome of a MRA meeting in Penang tomorrow.

Samsuri has failed to land a winner in 28 rides this season while he rode only 33 times last year for a solitary winner — almost identical to his record in 2002 when he rode in 32 races for a single win.