KUALA LUMPUR: Horse racing fans were in galloping mood when Selangor Turf Club hosted its first Classic Cup race, the Tunku Gold Cup, on Sunday after a lapse of two years.
The track came alive again with the pounding of hooves after the horse racing industry in Malaysia was affected by Covid-19 lockdowns.
Stakeholders in the industry suffered financially, especially the horse owners and trainers who had to look after the welfare and needs of the horses.
As horse racing resumed fully in September last year, the Selangor Turf Club gradually picked up momentum and was able to host the Tunku Gold Cup race.
The Tunku Gold Cup, which is named after the first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, is one of the most respected classic races on the Malaysian horse racing circuit, and has been held since 1968.
This year, the Tunku Gold Cup was sponsored by Nine Dragon Boat Seafood Restaurant, a Chinese cuisine restaurant in Taman Taynton View, Cheras. The race was named the Nine Dragon Boat Tunku Gold Cup.
The Nine Dragon Boat Tunku Gold Cup race, offering prize money of RM200,000, attracted the participation of top sprint runners in the circuit. The race was open to horses three years old and above with rating band of 71 and above and run over a distance of 1,200m.
As the runners battled it out for the Nine Dragon Boat Tunku Gold Cup, racing fans had a wonderful afternoon, cheering on the horses to the finish line.
AWESOME STORM, ridden by Brazilian jockey, Jose De Souza, was too good for its rivals, scoring an impressive triumph. And AWESOME STORM fittingly captured the Nine Dragon Boat Tunku Gold Cup by eight and a half length. The horse was owned by Awesome Storm Stable and trained by Simon Dunderdale.
Datuk Seri Chia Yoong Yoong, representing the Nine Dragon Boat Seafood Restaurant, presented the Nine Dragon Boat Tunku Gold Cup prizes to the winners.
"We thank Nine Dragon Boat Seafood Restaurant for their sponsorship. The initiative taken by the Selangor Turf Club to host the Nine Dragon Boat Tunku Gold Cup race after a lapse of two years, has given great hope to revive the racing industry," said Selangor Turf Club deputy chairman Clement Chew Kuan Hock.
Nine Dragon Boat Seafood Restaurant is also working in collaboration with the Selangor Turf Club to organise a charity event at the club soon.