Singapore/Malaysia
Kim Emperor rules in Piala Emas Sultan Selangor
Kim Emperor performed a giant-killing act to give trainer Richard Lines a most memorable birthday present in the RM400,000 Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (2000m) at Sungai Besi today.
The Highland Heel gelding came into the race on the back of two consecutive wins in Class 4 and up against the likes of Antipodean, Lucky Magic and Good Star, the five-year-old was not given much of a chance and started at long odds in the set-weight event.
The race was run at a slow pace after Pacific Warrior got to the front and led the way. Always A Gentleman tracked him just on his outside with Lucky Magic, Sousui and Shirvo in a line next. They were followed by Latin Legend with a gap to Banker's Two Six and Kim Emperor.
Pacific Warrior broke away from Always A Gentleman at the 800m to be a clear leader into the straight. The rest of the field had by then bunched up behind with just four lengths covering them.
Lucky Magic collared Pacific Warrior who came under pressure at the 200m. Behind them Latin Legend, Kim Emperor and Banker's Two Six were winding up for their runs.
Lucky Magic hit the front at 300m and was a clear leader with 200m to go. But then Banker's Two Six and Kim Emperor came charging at him in the final 50m to make it a three-way finish.
Kim Emperor won by a neck with a short head to Lucky Magic.
While Lines would not give away his age only to confirm that it was his birthday today, he did say he was thankful to Anthony Manton who used to pick out horses for him in Australia.
"It was Manton who recommended Kim Emperor to me and he told be this horse would go through the grades although he was still a maiden when he landed in Malaysia," said Lines.
Kim Emperor did not race at two and three but finished on board in all his five starts at four, with two second- and two third-place finishes.
He has now four wins in nine starts in Malaysia.
"Although he only won in Class 4 in the last two starts, I thought he could get in at a handy weight and he could stay the distance.
"I did not give Khairil (Zulkiflee) any instructions. He is an experience jockey and I left it all up to him."
It was my plan to settle well up with the pace but he (Kim Emperor) was just too relaxed went to sleep," said Khairil.
"But when I worked on him in the straight, he responded.
"It's my first big win and the horse gave me such a big thrill."
For Lines, it was his fourth success in the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor following his wins with En Lauder in 2016, Ready To Rock (2018) and D'Great Timing (2019).
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