A record for Saimee after all

KUALA LUMPUR,  27 December 2005

Singapore jockey Saimee Jumaat, whose season has been cut short by a nasty fall yesterday, has set a new riding record the the MRA circuit after all.

Unknown to the media until today, the Malayan Racing Association has decided that the Malaysian championship for 2005 is based on wins for all races held in Malaysia, according to a statement issued by its Kuala Lumpur office this afternoon.

This is a departure from previous years when home based races are excluded in the statistics.

The accompanying table issued by MRA showed that Saimee has ridden 49 winners until last Sunday.

This means that with 64 winners garnered in Singapore, Saimee has ridden a total of 113 winners. It bettered his own record of 111 winners set in 1997.

Saimee was sent crashing the ground when his mount MUSIC EXPRESS blundered and fell during the second last race at Kranji yesterday. He fractured his right ribs which has ruled him out of riding "for a few weeks".

The new statistic still puts Saimee four winners clear of second-placed Sofhan Latif and he will be praying that his lead holds during the final two racing days in Penang this weekend.