IPOH: March 22, 2026

But it was the way he “keeps running on” at the end of his races which prompts trainer Simon Dunderdale to reckon the four-year-old deserves a crack at the Derby.

“With his rating of 59 points, I thought (Guru Fight) he would get in at a handy 52kg in the weights,” said Dunderdale.

“But with many top rated horses not entered for the race, he was alloted 54.5kg. It was not ideal but it worked out in the end.”

The odds-on favourite in this year’s Derby was Banker’s Two Six who came into the race on the back of three consecutive wins following his second-place finish to Kim Emperor in the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (2000m) last December.

It was Gum Khor who took the swept to the lead racing past the winning post for the first time. He was followed by Guru Fight with Man Of Action and Banker’s Two Six racing on his inside almost in a line.

The order was the same in the back straight but Banker’s Two Six, who was initially racing on the rails, had somehow drifted out to run three-wide with Winning Stride closing in on his inside.

Guru Fight levelled up with Gum Khor racing into the straight with Winning Stride closing in third. The rest of the field followed in a close pack.

Guru Fight took a one-length lead from Gum Khor at the 300m. Winning Stride and Banker’s Two Six were not far off and appeared to have every chance.

Guru Fight, however, showed his tenacity in the run to the line to hold off all challengers to win by half a length from Winning Stride. Gum Khor held on for third, a similar distance away, just ahead of Banker’s Two Six.

“He (Guru Fight) was running on empty in the final 100m but he gave it all,” said South African jockey Kaidan Brewer.

“I rode the horse many times before (last seven races) and he always felt a bit lazy. However, he was very alert today – maybe because he was in a new environment.”

Guru Fight was having his first run in Ipoh in 15 starts.

“It’s my very first Group 1 win after many tries and I am absolutely thrilled about that,” added Brewer.
“Guru Fight has always been running on in his races and this was his first opporunity to race over 2000m,” said Dunderdale who credited Brewer for the Derby success.

“He (Brewer) comes from a country where the majority of races are over middle or longer distances. This sort of race is ideal for him, not sprint races.

“He rode a perfect race.”

Kevin Coetzee, trainer of Winning Stride, said his horse was given every chance by jockey Ruzaini Supien.

“The distance (2000m) is ideal for him. The sad thing is, where do we go from here? The next 2000m race in Ipoh is probably the Derby next year,” he said.

Jordan Mallyon, who rode Gum Khor, said the Irish galloper is a horse for the future. “He has a lot of potential. This time next year, he will be a different proposition.”

Johnny Lim, however, lamented that given a better ride, Banker’s Two Six could have won.

“The boy (apprentice Farhan Ghazali) made some tactical errors and the horse still finished just over a length from the winner.