Hard-fought win for April Rain in debut

IPOH:  Sep 24, 2011

APRIL RAIN, who won the last of his six runs in New Zealand when racing as EYEBALL, continued where he left off when he scored first-up in Malaysia today.

Alloted top weight in a Class 4 - 1200m sprint for home based horses at this special novelty meeting here, the five-year-old, ridden by apprentice Lai Kin Man, set the pace from the start and held on tenaciously to beat WIENER by a nose, with the pair five and a half lengths ahead of third-placed CHEEK TO CHEEK.

His first-up win completed a treble for veteran trainer Leong Poh Keong.

Leong had opened accounts in the opening event with comeback winner CERTAIN PRINCE (Captain Rio - Country Life by Nicolotte) whose last of two wins came in December 2009.

Leong then wrapped up the last two races with STRYKER (Van Nistelrooy - Centamira by Centaine) and APRIL RAIN.

It has been a long road back for the former who won three races in Singapore but his last success was achieved in January 2009. 

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 CLASS 4 (HOME BASED) - 1600M

1

 Certain Prince P K Leong K M Lai

1

4

 Better Year Seet Wepner

2

2

 Southern Conqueror P K Leong Wan

3

3

 Joyful Affair P K Leong Djulkifli

4

2

 CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1600M

6

 Sassy Bee Bee E Breukelen K M Lai

1

3

 Say No More Danis C K Tan

2

10

 Up Ahead Hoy Barnabas

3

4

 Dancing Grey P K Leong Kumarentheran

4

3

 CLASS 4 (HOME BASED) - 1200M

3

 Special Star Hoy Wepner

1

1

 Actuarial Talent P K Leong K M Lai

2

7

 You Little Ripper P Lee Kumarentheran

3

6

 Supradyn E Breukelen Yusri

4

4

 CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1600M

3

 Mr Showpiece Danis J Nizam

1

7

 Humble Harvest P K Leong Yusri

2

5

 Well Beyond Hoy Barnabas

3

2

 Break Through E Breukelen S C Liew

4

5

 CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1600M

8

 Dancing Supremo E Breukelen K Eirwan

1

5

 Space Invader K Coetzee J Shankar

2

10

 Eternal Cheers P Lee S S Vanan

3

2

 Anish Seet Aify

4

6

 CLASS 5 (HOME BASED) - 1200M

1

 Stryker P K Leong Barnabas

1

6

 Royal Kazak K Coetzee J Shankar

2

9

 The Pilot Danis C K Tan

3

8

 Straight Money E Breukelen K M Lai

4

7

 CLASS 4 (HOME BASED) - 1200M

1

 April Rain P K Leong K M Lai

1

4

 Wiener Danis J Shankar

2

2

 Cheek To Cheek Seet Teh

3

3

 Saga King Danis J Nizam

4