KUALA LUMPUR: July 14, 2025

The return of Bernardo Pinheiro to the local circuit has come at the right time for the Brazilian jockey.

It has landed him the plump ride on Antipodean in the RM1 million Selangor Mile (1600m) for four-year-olds at Sungai Besi on Sunday.

The Australian gelding takes pride of place in the capacity field of 16 runners and looks the horse to beat.

But spare a thought for Andre da Silva. The Brazilian is leading this season’s jockey’s premiership by a ‘mile’ but will find himself watching the biggest race of the year from the stands, or more likely in his case – the nearest TV from the jockey’s room at the Selangor Turf Club.

No doubt, da Silva will an have an eye on Lucky Magic on whom he won the Penang Gold Cup (2000m) last December.

Since then, Ridzuan Shafiq, who won on the Mendelssohn gelding in October last year, has been in the saddle in Lucky Magic’s four runs this season, winning thrice including the Perak Derby (2000m) in Ipoh on Mar 2.

Lucky Magic is trained by Winson Cheng Han Yong, the person responsible for bringing da Silva to Malaysia so it must have a difficult decision for him to make.

Lucky Magic has won seven of his 12 starts since landing in the country as an unraced galloper. He skipped the 4YO Sprint Championship to concentrate on this race.

Also missing out on a ride in the Selangor Mile is returning jockey (from a one-month suspension) Marc Lerner.

In place of these two riders, racegoers will get to see two visiting jockeys – Ryan Curatolo and Clint Johnston-Porter – in action.

Curatolo will ride Valois for trainer Simon Dunderdale while Porter has been engaged by Buffalo Stable for their hope – Eruption, trained by Lawson Moy.

Curatolo began his career in his native France, before spreading his wings to the United States. But it is in Asia where his career took another leap forward.

He spent three years in Macau, winning the Gold Cup at Taipa, and also enjoyed great success in Japan, riding 29 winners in a three-month period while he was there.

After Japan, Curatolo’s next stop was Singapore, where he spent a year riding at Kranji. Then he was off to ride in Qatar and Dubai.

Valois, winner of three races in Australia including one at Sandown, had an impressive local debut when he beat Filial Dragon over 1200m.

The Under The Louvre galloper was an eye-catching fifth to Pacific Victory in the 4YO Sprint Championship (1200m) last month but was disappointed when fifth to Latin Legend in a Supreme B race over 1600m eight days ago.

Porter is a highly accomplished jockey from Perth whose career has been defined by consistency, tactical finesse, and a growing list of feature race successes.

Since his debut in 2014, he had amassed over 940 winners. In the current 2024/25 season, he has already secured 135 wins including seven black-type races.
 
Just last November, he bagged his first Group 1 on Port Lockroy in the Railway Stakes.

Eruption had won twice over 1400m since crossing over from Singapore where he also registered two wins over the distance.

His finished down the field in his last two runs, going with pace but faded to 13th behind Latin Legend over 1600m just eight days ago. It’s left to be seen of Porter can work his magic on the son of Xtravagant.

Apprentice Jerlyn Seow has been retained on Pacific Victory, winner of the 4YO Sprint Championship. The son Rubick, trained by Jason Ong. has been proven over 1600m and should be in the firing line again.

Ong’s other runner War Star will be partnered by Akmazani Marzuki.

Bang-in-form jockey Troy See, who won the Perak Gold Vase on Filial Dragon yesterday, has been engaged by Ricky Choi on Platinum Glory.

The Showtime gelding drew attention with a hat-trick over 1400m before finishing second to Gulf Eagle in a Class 3 – 1600m handicap a month ago.

Choi’s other runner Luen On Feelings will be ridden by Chinese jockey Liang Xiaochuan. The Oratorio (AUS) gelding, winner of three races up to 1800m in Macau, had back-to-back wins over 1400m and 1600m earlier on but has been unplaced in his last three starts.

Besides Antipodean and Valois, Dunderdale’s two other runners, Hypeman and Shinjuku, will be ridden by Yusoff Fadzil and Wong Kam Chong respectively.

Trainer Richard Lines has engaged Laercio De Souza and Oscar Chavez for Stop The Water and Kim Emperor respectively.

Uzair Sharudin will ride trainer Mahadi Taib’s sole entry Good Star, a last-start second to Latin Legend two weeks ago.

Trainer David Kok has called up Harmeet Singh Gill to ride Don’t Forget Boss, an out-and-out stayer with wins over 1700m and 2000m in Malaysia.

Richard Lim is putting his faith on Iskandar Rosman for Elite Boy, yet to win in three starts locally but was a winner over 1700m in Australia.

Barrier draw for the Selangor Mile will be conducted tomorrow at 11.30am.

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