White Hoof Bird soars to first Cup win

KUALA LUMPUR:  Nov 20, 2022
 
WHITE HOOF BIRD winning the Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup - SLTC photo
 

It was third time lucky for WHITE HOOF BIRD when he ran out a comfortable winner in the RM150,000 Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup over 1400m at Sungei Besi here today.

Nearly 12 months ago, the Australian gelding had his first crack at a big race in the same Cup but finished sixth to VIOLET after being well back in the running.

Last April, WHITE HOOF BIRD came home fifth to runaway winner AWESOME STORM in the Tunku Gold Cup.

The son of Denman has performed consistently against some of the big names since then and raised his game a notch today to clinch his eighth win in 15 starts in Malaysia.

Apprentice Nuqman Faris Rozi, who landed his first trophy when he rode VIOLET to victory in the Cup last year, made the switch to ride WHITE HOOF BIRD and made the difference on the six-year-old today.

Nuqman had his mount settling just off the pace in fifth spot as the field settled down. WHITE HOOF BIRD moved up to third at the top of the straight and at this stage, the pacemaker GINGERELLA had made a breakaway to be three to four lengths clear.

But the leader went too early and could not sustained her run. She soon came under pressure. WHITE HOOF BIRD caught up with her at the 200m and raced away to win by two lengths.

"My instructions were to get into a handy position which I was able to," said Nuqman who is the most improved rider from last year when he rode 14 winners. "In the end my horse won easily."

With today's win, Nuqman now sits sixth on the jockey's table with 37 wins.

WHITE HOOF BIRD came to Malaysia with a record of one win in a Maiden at Goulburn and three placings in eight starts in Australia.

He made an immediate impact and was unbeaten in his first five runs in the country.

  RESULTS AT A GLANCE:   Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position
 

1

 SPORTS TOTO 6D STAKES
CLASS 5 - 1400M
10 WHITE RABBIT C Leck K Pavinthran

1
(4 b/br.nz.h Alamosa - Lady Cha Cha by Savabeel)
9 Trinity Revival SY Lim A Suriya

2
6 Beautiful One L Moy I Fikri

3
7 Kyo R Lines S Ruzaini

4
 

2

 SPORTS TOTO 5D STAKES
CLASS 5 - 1400M
5 THE ICEMAN C Leck Clyde Leck

1
(7 b.nz.g Darci Brahma - Danse Sauvage by Montjeu)
2 Chief Clerk I Ismadi KC Tham

2
1 Aspen S Shanmugam R Rueven

3
8 Calvados P Lee J Low 3
  *Deadheat for 3rd      
 

3

 SPORTS TOTO 4D STAKES
CLASS 5 - 1400M
7 WANTED PAYOUT C Leck Clyde Leck

1
(4 b.nz.g Proisir - Zelt by Red Ransom)
3 Sacred Galaxy P Lee R Rueven

2
1 Leopard Eclipse F Maynard A Suriya

3
4 Miss Michelle CC Ooi KC Tham

4
 

4

 CLASS 5 - 1400M
4 NAJWAN AB Abdullah M Ewe

1
  (5 br.nz.g Mongolian Khan - Mabsam by Stratum)  
3 Topnotch AB Abdullah S Uzair

2
6 El Macho HY Cheng MM Firdaus

3
2 Obsidian C Leck Clyde Leck

4
 

5

 SPORTS TOTO 4D ZODIAC STAKES
OPEN MAIDEN (WFA) - 1200M
2 XAR AB Abdullah S Uzair

1
(4 b.nz.g American Pharoah - Posavina by Tiger Hill)
1 Top Gun S Dunderdale Clyde Leck

2
7 Magic Sixty-One SY Lim KC Tham

3
3 Mysterious Captain R Lines R Nuqman

4
 

6

 SUPREME TOTO 6/58 STAKES
CLASS 3 - 1100M
3 FINAL TOUCH HY Cheng H Haikal

1
(8 br.nz.g Perfectly Ready - Catalma by Old Deuteronomy)
1 Kruger S Shanmugam KC Tham

2
10 Vulcan C Leck Clyde Leck

3
6 Estijaab AB Abdullah MM Firdaus

4
 

7

 SPORTS TOTO SUPREME CHALLENGE CUP
OPEN (SW) - 1400M
4 WHITE HOOF BIRD SY Lim R Nuqman

1
(6 b/br.a.g Denman - Can She Move by Canny Lad)
5 Skydance Eclipse F Maynard R Rueven

2
12 War Dragon L Moy S Uzair

3
3 Gingerella MW Teh I Fikri

4
 

8

 POWER TOTO 6/55 STAKES
CLASS 4 - 1300M
8 ACROBAT R Lines WK Lee

1
(7 ch.nz.g Pins - Turf Fire by O'Reilly)
1 Fa Fa Star S Dunderdale Clyde Leck

2
5 Hairy Fist SY Lim R Nuqman

3
7 RS Diago M Sukri Y Aify

4
 

9

 SPORTS TOTO 4D JACKPOT STAKES
CLASS 4 - 1300M
7 BLEU MARINE HY Cheng S Uzair

1
(6 b.ir.g Dark Angel - Blue Picture by Peintre Celebre)
1 Shoqeet AB Abdullah M Ewe

2
2 Super Happy KC Tiang J Low 2
8 Cosmic Sands S Hamilton S Salee

4
  *Deadheat for 2nd      
 

10

 STAR TOTO 6/50 STAKES
CLASS 4 - 1300M
1 KANTHAKA HY Cheng HK Cheng

1
(5 b.nz.g Showcasing - Rockelle by Rock Of Gibraltar)
4 Life In Sixty-One SY Lim R Rueven

2
2 Dragon Ryker S Dunderdale Clyde Leck

3
3 Asaad AB Abdullah S Uzair

4
 

11

 CLASS 5 - 2000M
6 VALUE OF JUSTICE WC Lim SU Lim

1
  (10 b.a.g Daliapour - Amatilla by Redoute's Choice)  
3 Success Street S Cook S Ruzaini

2
7 Silver Joy HY Cheng R Nuqman

3
2 Smart Investment C Leck Clyde Leck

4