Former Macau trainer stands good chance in G1 Selangor Gold Cup with flagship horse

Trainer Ricky Choi Chun Wai did not have the best of meetings on Sept 6.

His camp managed only a second with Handsome Joyful , and a third with Rhythm Of Zen, from 12 races.

But, in fairness, he had entered a small team of just three horses.

Things could change on Sept 14 as Choi will be represented by 11 runners.

The former Macau-based handler will saddle Platinum Emperor in the highlight of the 11-race meeting, the Group 1 Selangor Gold Cup (1,600m), which is also the second leg of the Malaysian Triple Crown series.

Choi also has Platinum Fort as a starter and Superb Luck as the third emergency acceptor in the TabCorp Trophy, as well as starter Platinum Royale and first standby runner Platinum Glory in the Horse City Trophy.

Of the five, four were, on the morning of Sept 9, out on the training track where they were put through their paces.

On the strength of their gallops, Choi and his "Platinum" connections could be looking forward to a picture-taking session after the running of the Horse City Trophy.

Platinum Royale  and Platinum Glory look like the aces in that Supreme B (1,600m) event. Platinum Royale went over the 600m gallop in 41.6sec.

An eight-year-old son of Red Wood – who won six times in Macau previously – Platinum Royale has run four times since relocating to Kuala Lumpur, and his best result was a third in a Class 3 event (1,400m) on Jan 26.

But his work on the training track would suggest that he is not yet ready to be put out to pasture.

His stablemate Platinum Glory  – who would only be given a start with one scratching in the field of 12 – completed his gallop over the same trip in 39.2sec.

The Showtime five-year-old gelding's three wins in Malaysia were all over the 1,400m.

But the manner in which he finished those three races were indicative of a horse who could be even better in a race over the mile or longer.

Should he get a spot in the line-up, do give him loads of attention. He looks spot-on for a big showing.

The highest-rated galloper (107) owned by Platinum Racing Stables, Platinum Emperor's work was restricted to a strong gallop on the main track which was rated "yielding".

The son of Sweynesse gets into the Selangor Gold Cup line-up on the back of a race-to-race double.

Platinum Emperor beat a Metro A field over the 1,400m on July 12, and followed it up with a win in a Supreme A race over the 1,600m on Aug 3.

Although the six-year-old will be overshadowed by a horse like Antipodean who, incidentally, had an easy canter on the training track, the trip will suit. Do watch out for a big run from him.

Outside of the Gold Cup and the Horse City Trophy races, keep an eye on Family Delight who is down to contest the UPBH Platinum Club Trophy, a Class 4B event over the 1,400m.

Also from Choi's yard, the eight-year-old turned in a smart gallop when covering the 600m in a time of 41.3sec.

The son of Dundeel, was – two starts back – shouted the winner at the furlong mark, but went down by a short head to Infinity Glory.

That was in a Class 4A race (1,700m) on Aug 9.

On Malaysia's National Day on Aug 31, Family Delight carried some stable confidence, but he could only manage sixth in that race won by Elite Boy.

Ridden by Oscar Chavez then, Family Delight had excuses as he had to race wide for most of the 1,775m race. Hence, dropping back to 1,400m on Sept 14 means the trip could suit him better.

The Restricted Maiden race (1,200m) will bring together a strong field of youngsters and is highly anticipated.

Three of them were out on the training track, and while none broke any speed records, they worked well.

From Frank Maynard's camp, Mega Reliable and Northam Beach ran out the 600m in 41sec while the Ooi Chin Chin-trained Red Sky did that same trip in 42sec.

Watch out for them. The talented trio will make the race interesting.