Antipodean produced a blistering run in the final 100m to win the RM70,000 Trinity Cup for Class 1 horses over 1400m at Sungai Besi today and winning jockey Bernardo Pinheiro said the best is yet to come from the champion galloper.
"He's about 85 percent today and should be 100 percent for the Selangor Gold Cup (on Sep 14)," said the Brazilian jockey.
Pinheiro should know. He rode Antipodean to four of the gelding's nine wins last year including the 3YO Pacific Cup (1200m) and the Selangor Gold Cup (1600m).
Antipodean was transferred to Tiang Kim Choi at the end of 2024 and although he won once in six starts for his new trainer earlier this season, he failed to regain his brilliant best form.
That prompted his owner Yee Kin Kong to send him back to trainer Simon Dunderdale just one month before the RM1mil Selangor Mile (for four-year-olds) on Jul 20.
Antipodean ran a mighty race – according to Pinheiro who rode him that day – when he gave weight away all-round and finished third to Lucky Magic.
Antipodean stepped up from that run to win the Cup today, but he had to leave it very late to do so.
Pacific Vampire as usual went to the front on settling down with Filial Dragon and Vincent's Star, a recent transfer from Ipoh, well in attendance. Calvary was next when the field raced past the 800m. Then came Raising Sixty-One and King Arthur with Antipodean being caught three-wide.
Pacific Vampire was well clear of Filial Dragon turning into the straight. Vincent's Star was still third with the rest of the field bunched up behind. Antipodean was looking for a run between runners at this stage.
Pacific Vampire was still three lengths clear of the rest at the 200m. Filial Dragon could not gain ground on the leader and Antipodean had moved up third but yet to hit top gear.
Antipodean eventually got going in the final 80m to beat Pacific Vanpire by a neck. Cavalry battled on to take third placing.
"He (Antipodean) is an amazing horse," said Pinheiro. "He is of of the top horses in Malaysia. He got out of his form a while ago but Simon (Dunderdale) and his team did an amazing job to being him back (to form).
"Since arriving back in KL (Kuala Lumpur) I have been riding him everyday on the track and he has been improving. I am very happy with the win and now we look forward to the Selangor Gold Cup.
"He has all the chance to fight in the Cup. We used this race to preprae him for the Cup and we can expect a better race from him."
Antipodean was the third leg of a splendid treble for Pinheiro who scored on Pacific Sonic and Storm To Finish earlier.
"It's a very strong win from Antipodean," said Dunderdale.
"He had to work very hard to catch Pacific Vampire and didn't have the easiest of runs. Bernardo knows the horse very well."
