PENANG:  Mar 16, 2013

Jockey Razali Musa, who is to start serving a four-month suspension from Monday handed to him yesterday, made it count with his only ride here today to win on NORDSTROM in a Class 5 - 1300m handicap.

It was a hard-earned victory and a huge surprise, considering that the Australian five-year-old has finished down the field in all his previous nine starts in the local circuit.

The gelding though first came to Singapore after chalking up a win, two placings and a fourth in five starts in Australia.

After three outings at Kranji, he was moved up north to Penang to join trainer Bonny Ng and has been ridden by Razali in all his races in Malaysia thus far.

Today, however, NORDSTROM jumped well and settled second behind the pacemaker PLANCK TIME. The gelding was among three horses who momentarily raced alongside the leader at the top of the straight.

But the leader kicked away at the 200m and seemed set for victory when NORDSTROM closed the gap little by little in the closing stages and nailed him by a short head. The winner paid RM193 for a win.

Footnote: Razali has filed an appeal against the severity of the penalty imposed by the Stipendiary Stewards.