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STREETS OF FIRE wiped out three top
sprinters to win the Supreme A event over 1250m at Sungei Besi here today,
solidifying his trainer's hopes of winning the Tunku Gold Cup with her in
three weeks' time.
Trainer Tiang Kim Choi had expressed this hope after the New Zealand mare
won a Supreme B race here three weeks ago.
But jumping one grade to contest against the very best in the country in the
set-weight today was a real test for the daughter of Echoes Of Heaven, a
test she passed with flying colours.
AWESOME STORM, winner of eight races, was the runaway winner of last year's
Tunku Gold Cup (1200m). VIOLET has 13 wins to his name while LONELY BOY, the
highest rated today, has 11.
AWESOME STORM, who started favourite, took up his customary role as
pacemaker and appeared to be holding off all challengers in the straight.
That was until STREETS OF FIRE came into the picture.
Ridden by Nuqman Faris Rozi who also won on her last time out, STREETS OF
FIRE will racing in midfield till well into the straight.
Nuqman initially attempted to make his run on the inside of horses, on the
rails, but he changed course and switched out behind the heels of runners.
Once STREETS OF FIRE found an opening, he quickly got into top gear and
raced past the leaders one by one one.
The seven-year-old caught up with the leader AWESOME
STORM close to home to win by 1 1/4 lengths. VIOLET finished third, just
ahead of LONELY BOY.
"Amazing win," exclaimed Nuqman. "I didn't think she could win this race
because there were many top horses in the race and the distance might be too
short for her. I think she will do well in the Tunku Gold Cup (on May 28)."
"As I have said earlier, STREETS OF FIRE is a very smart horse and has
tremendous fighting spirit," said Tiang. "She seems to know when she is
about to participate in a race and gives her everything when asked to.
"It's good to see her beat AWESOME STORM and VIOLET today. It showed what
she is capable of and I hope she will selected for the Tunku Gold Cup."
Unplaced in two runs in Singapore,
STREETS OF FIRE has now picked up eight wins in 19 starts in Malaysia.
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