Fortune Tree keeps raising the bar

KUALA LUMPUR – Fortune Tree bounced back quickly from his unplaced outing in the Group 1 Coronation Cup (1,600m) in Ipoh on Nov 16, capturing the RM62,000 (S$19,600) Sungai Besi Autoworld Cup (1,400m) at Sungai Besi on Dec 21.

After back-to-back wins in Class 3 level on Sept 28 and Oct 25, the son of Ardrossan was thrown into the deep end by trainer Richard Lim at his next start.

The four-year-old gelding took on some top gallopers, including Good Star and Golden Pegasus, in Ipoh at his second attempt over the mile.

Ridden by Brazilian jockey Andre da Silva, Fortune Tree ($23) chased the pacemaker Pacific Warrior to the line, but was eventually beaten into fifth.

He was not disgraced when he finished just over a length behind the winner Good Star.

Back to his home base where he had recorded three wins and two placings in five starts previously, Fortune Tree quickly picked up from where he left off.

The New Zealand-bred was the first to break among nine runners in the Supreme A event.

Under a positive ride from his regular rider Shafiq Rizuan, Fortune Tree led the field in the back straight at first, but Pacific Warrior (Jerlyn Seow) – who had drawn the widest barrier 9 – soon swept past the field to take over the running.

Shafiq was happy to concede the lead for the time being and parked Fortune Tree in second spot.

That was where Fortune Tree settled in until the 400m where he ranged alongside the leader, then pulled away with 200m to go.

Big Union – winner of the Singapore Pools Trophy (1,200m) on Dec 7 when he came from last to win drawing away – was cutting down Fortune Tree’s lead in the final 100m, but the leader held on to win by three quarters of a length.

The Jerome Tan-trained Big Union had to settle for second, while his stablemate Energy Baby (da Silva) held on for third.

Man Man Lai, now a seven-year-old trained by Singaporean trainer Jason Ong, motored home from the middle to finish fourth, producing his best result in three runs.

Previously known as Street Of Dreams when racing in Singapore and Australia, the Joe Giovanni Singh-owned Dundeel gelding has had two unplaced runs over 1,200m in Selangor since arriving in Malaysia.

Shafiq, who scored a brace after the Winson Cheng Han Yong-trained Storm Titan ($14) easily won the Class 4B event (1,150m) earlier, was glad to see Fortune Tree has matured after his last start in Ipoh.

“He (Fortune Tree) has improved after his run in Ipoh and he’s more mature now,” said Shafiq of his 48th winner this season.

The two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey, however, was on board the Mahadi Taib-trained Good Star in the Coronation Cup when he won.

With one more race meeting to go in Ipoh on Dec 28, Shafiq now sits in second on the jockeys’ log with 24 wins behind da Silva, who has bagged his first Malaysian champion jockey’s title this season.

Lim said Fortune Tree pulled up well after the Coronation Cup, hence the decision to run him.

“The Coronation Cup was a stepping stone for Fortune Tree,” said the Ipoh-raised Singaporean trainer. “He came back from Ipoh in good shape, so we decided to enter him for this race.”

Owned by Lee Swee Eng, Fortune Tree recorded one win and a third in two starts as a juvenile in Australia, and finished fourth twice in three starts at three years old before coming to Malaysia. SELANGOR TURF CLUB/TURFONLINE