October 8, 2025

Old timer breaks minute-mark at Kuala Lumpur barrier trials

Sometimes it takes an old timer to teach the youngsters a galloping lesson or two.

This same line was drummed home at the trials on the morning of Oct 7 when Tornado Pegasus (Andre da Silva) beat Irish Goodbye (Uzair Sharudin) by a nostril over the 1,000m.

The Echoes Of Heaven nine-year-old showed wings when running the trip in a really smart time of 59.75sec.

In third was another youngster, Pacific Energy, ridden by comeback jockey Benny Woodworth, who has not been seen since a four-month suspension copped at Kranji in July 2024.

As for Tornado Pegasus, he swept to the lead on settling down and although hounded all the way by Irish Goodbye and Pacific Energy, he never gave in or gave up the fight.

Straightening up for the run home, da Silva went full throttle.

Tornado Pegasus was game for the action and, taking the bit, he held off that determined bid by Irish Goodbye to prevail by the narrowest of margins.

While Tornado Pegasus is getting a little closer to the day he will be put out to pasture, it looks, on that showing, like he is ready to relive those good old days which saw him win six races.

Prepared by Ananthen Kuppan for the India Horse Club Stable, Tornado Pegasus has been an “also-ran” at his last three starts.

But he did add some good money to the kitty when he ran second to Sacred Buddy in a 1,100m dash at Penang on May 31.

Tornado Pegasus may not be one of those flashy gallopers currently stabled at the Selangor Turf Club but he can certainly raise a gallop.

We just might see something from him in the not too distant future.

Ananthen has entered him for the Class 4A sprint over the 1,020m race on Oct 12 and this most recent trial would have topped him up sufficiently for a good showing. Keep him on your radar.

Of course, the horse worth pencilling into your notebook must be Irish Goodbye.

He is one from one and all signs point towards him making it two from two.

That second-place finish to Tornado Pegasus could hardly be considered a blemish.

He went down by a nose in a finish which could have gone either way.

Such was not the case at his debut on Sept 14 when he turned the Class 4B (1,400m) contest into a one-horse act.

Ridden by Uzair, Irish Goodbye was sent off as one of the roughies in that Malaysian introduction of the Brazilian-bred son of a 2007 Group 1 Kranji Mile winner, Setembro Chove.

But the four-year-old showed a maturity beyond his years when he led all the way, holding off all challengers over the final furlong.

Trainer Lawson Moy and owner Tan Cheong Soon may well have a promising sort on their hands.

The second and last hit-out of the morning saw a newcomer run away with the goodies and doing it in a time of 1min 0.62sec.

Trained by Mahadi Taib and yet to be named, the four-year-old filly came from second behind Mega Ace at the top of the straight to win the trial by a neck.

The youngster by Grunt was having her second trial after having finished runner-up in her first outing on Sept 3.

In this most recent romp, Shafiq Rizuan was aboard and together with Mega Ace, who was ridden by Nuqman Rozi, they left One Abracadabra (da Silva) wallowing some 7¼ lengths behind in third place.

On the day, it was all about the unnamed filly by a stallion who, not too long ago, had the promising Last Supper at Kranji.

Watch for the day her name is registered and the next all-important day she faces the starter for the first time.

She could well give Mahadi a good reason to cheer.

Source : Brian Miller