Huge surprise by Handsome Nic in Gold Vase

IPOH:  Nov 20, 2010
HANDSOME NIC being led in by trainer Hoy Kee Poh and his wife after winning the Sultan Gold Vase

Former Singapore galloper HANDSOME NIC (late Handsome Jazz), who was having only his third start in the country, caused a major upset in the RM300,000 Sultan Gold Vase over the 1100m straight course here today.

Ridden by Jackson Low, the six-year-old, now owned and trained by Hoy Kee Poh, triumphed by 3 1/4 lengths over the seasoned campaigner TRIPLE HAPPY with GOOD JUDGEMENT in third spot.

Odds-on favourite NEVER BEEN BETTER, a five-time winner in Australia who won his Malaysian debut three weeks ago, faded badly in the heavy going after being prominent early. HANDSOME NIC paid RM235 for a win.

HANDSOME NIC (Show A Heart - Loopy by Rocket To Mars) won six races at Kranji but last tasted success in March last year. Early this year, he was renamed and shipped to Ipoh to Hoy.

In similar conditions as today in the Sprint Trophy last time out in early July, HANDSOME NIC finished down the field in the 1400m sprint. So today's performance came as a complete surprise to racegoers.

  RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1100M STR

5

 Flying Speed K Coetzee B N Kumar

1

9

 Golden Bearcat A Rahim L L Tai

2

2

 Ba Ba Rich S Liew K K Khoo

3

10

 Luo K L Chong J Shankar

4

2

 CLASS 5 - 1600M

14

 Royal Cossack P K Leong Salee

1

12

 Joker Champion Robert Woodworth

2

4

 Sunny Paradise Noordin S Mutaza

3

3

 I Am The Boss R Lines N Callow

4

3

 CLASS 5 - 1600M

9

 Fly Over McGillivray K Yazid

1

10

 Magic Eight R Lines J Low

2

8

 Winning Smile Danis Woodworth

3

2

 Grand Peak E Breukelen Y S Lim

4

4

 CLASS 5 - 1600M

2

 Duke Greg J H Tan J De Souza

1

8

 City Of Hope Noordin K Eirwan

2

9

 Marvellous Present Robert Salee

3

5

 Remy J Tan Woodworth

4

5

 CLASS 4 - 1400M

12

 Tenth Avenue K L Chong K T Cheng

1

1

 Bintang Harapan Osman Yusri

2

14

 Championship S Liew J De Souza

3

10

 Stunning Sapphire Hoy J Low

4

6

 SULTAN GOLD VASE - 1100M STR

4

 Handsome Nic Hoy J Low

1

7

 Triple Happy S Liew J De Souza

2

2

 Good Judgement K Coetzee J Lim

3

9

 Fire Kingdom McGillivray Saifudin

4

7

 DA MA CAI STAKES, CLASS 4 - 2000M

2

 Earl Grey E Breukelen A Lee

1

1

 Twice Regal Brink Woodworth

2

3

 Conundrum R Rogers H K Cheng

3

5

 Rags To Riches McGillivray K Yazid

4

8

 CLASS 5 - 1400M

6

 All Nice J Tan Sani

1

4

 Speed Horse Noordin J De Souza

2

9

 I Care Danis D Moor

3

15

 Adik E Breukelen Y S Lim

4

9

 CLASS 5 - 1400M

11

 Eastern Fighter Danis Sani

1

14

 Invincible Three Hoy D Moor

2

3

 Seventh Avenue K L Chong K T Cheng

3

8

 Boomer Prince Danis Salee

4

10

 CLASS 4 - 1400M

1

 Dazzling Peridot Hoy J Low

1

5

 Tuff To Bluff Hoy A Nawawi

2

3

 Kim Diva Sukri Djulkifli

3

10

 Century Flyboy Tiang H S Gill

4