Fortune Tree carved out a gutsy win in the RM300,000 Equine Sanctuary Tunku Gold Cup (1200m) at Sungai Besi today to give trainer Richard Lim his first Group 1 success.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” said the former jockey who 20 years ago, in 2006, won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Kranji and received his trophy from Her Majesty the late Queen in person.

As a jockey, Ipoh-born Lim won the last running of the Tunku Gold Cup over the initial distance of 2000m on After Me Please in 2002.

After the Cup distance was changed to 1200m and became the first leg of the Selangor Turf Club triple crown series, Lim was successful again in 2006 on Golden Rainbow.

Lim hung up his boots in 2015 to become assistant trainer and was eventually granted his licence by the Singapore Turf Club in 2022.

But this first Group 1 success with Fortune Tree was something to savour

Lim bought the son of Androssan for A$70,000 after the gelding had a win and a third in two runs at two, and finished on board twice in another three starts turning three.

The New Zealand bred was initially sold for A$260,000 as a yearling in Australia.

Fortune Tree was an instant success in Malaysia, winning his debut over 1275m on the No. 2 track.

Two placings and two wins in Class 3 later, Fortune Tree was sent to Ipoh to contest the Group 1 Coronation Cup (1600m) last November, finishing fifth to Good Star.

Back in Sungai Besi, Fortune Tree bounced back to win over 1400m and had two subsequent runs for a fourth and second.

Up against the cream of sprinters and milers in the Tunku Gold Cup, his connections was quietly confident of a good showing from the four-year-old.

Mega Ace led brieftly but Yes Man quickly took command to lead out of the back straight from Pacific Vampire, Arigato, Mega Ace and Stop The Water. Fortune Tree, who drew barrier 13, was racing four-wide and unable to come closer to the rails.

Yes Man had a three-length lead over Pacific Vampire at the top of the straight. Fortune Tree had moved up to third on the outside of Stop The Water.

Yes Man was still in front at the 200m but Fortune Tree had cut his lead to about two lengths and closing in rapidly on the leader. Pacific Vampire and Stop The Water could offer no more and on the outside Duma loomed large.

Fortune Tree collared Yes Man at the 100m with Duma storming home and Pacific Energy also making up good grounds.

Fortune Tree and Duma flashed past the post almost at the same instant. It took a photo-finish to separate them.

The result was victory by a nose for Fortune Tree. Pacific Energy was sandwiched between them in third place, a neck away.

“I couldn’t tell who won at the line,” said Lim.

“He (Fortune Tree) had to do it the hard way and showed a lot of guts today.”

Winning jockey Yudanyl Aify was elated at the victory and credited his mount for the success.

“We had to race wide because of the draw but he gave it all,” said Aify who took over the ride on the gelding because regular rider Ridzuan Shafiq could not make the weight. Fortune Tree carried 53kg.

While it’s the first Tunku Gold Cup win for Aify, the jockey had won a couple other Group 1 races in the past, the Perak Derby (Gold Arrow) while still an apprentice in 2006 and the Selangor Gold Cup on Listen in 2016.