Gum Khor set for an encore

If you are planning on catching the races at the Selangor Turf Club on Feb 8 – and you should – be there early as there is a good thing running in the third of the 11-race programme.

He is a four-year-old entire named Gum Khor.

From his latest piece of work on the morning of Feb 4, when he strode out nicely over the 600m in 39.9sec, it could be a name which will soon stick in your mind.

From the stables of Ooi Chin Chin, Gum Khor will be having his second Malaysian start after relocating from Victoria where he did his early racing.

There was nothing memorable about his Australian adventures but Malaysian racegoers would have by now taken to the four-year-old, who interestingly enough, is an Irish-bred by former Coolmore classic winner Camelot.

That was after he won on debut, beating Sheng Ye by an easy 4¼ lengths in that mile race on Jan 25.

That day, when ridden by Akmazani Mazuki – who was also his work rider on Feb 4 – he blew away his rivals, coming from second spot at the top of the straight to win as he liked.

Ooi has him down to contest the slightly longer 1,700m in Race 3 and being by a dual English-Irish Derby winner on pedigree, the trip should suit just fine.

Following that, in the fourth event on Feb 8, Checkmate could be the one to follow.

He too turned in a smart workout under Wong Kam Chong, he stopped the clock at 37.5sec. That was after giving those muscles a good stretch-out with some serious cantering.

Trainer Simon Dunderdale will be looking for plenty of improvement from his Calyx four-year-old who, on Jan 25, ran third to Gum Khor, no less, in that race over the mile.

To date, it has been a fruitless trek for this Australian-bred who came over winless from eight outings in Queensland, Australia, where the best he could do was finish third in four of his eight starts when racing as Stapleton.

Back to that last start, Checkmate did not have a clean passage. Indeed, the Stewards’ report had him “bumped in the straight” and having to be switched out for clear running at the 300m mark.

Dunderdale has picked a winnable sort of race for his youngster. So, keep him on your radar.

Another stand-out from the training track had to be Rhythm Of Zen.

From Nick Selvan’s stables, he showed good action when, breaking stride from a trot, he galloped over the 600m in 38.1sec.

Still a five-year-old and a three-time winner from 30 starts, the son of Time Test seems to have lost his way to the winner’s arch.

His last visit there was Sept 1, 2024 when, under the care of Sharee Hamilton, he won a Class 4 race over the 1,200m.

But he seems to be on the way back to his best.

His last five starts produced a second-place finish on Jan 25 and three third placings.

He also won a 1,100m trial on Jan 13. This most recent hit-out on the training track would have smoothed out any rough edges.

So, come Feb 8, stick around for the last race of the day.

It will be run over the sharp 1,150m and Selvan’s charge has drawn the advantageous innermost gate.

From there, Rhythm Of Zen could control pace and proceedings and, perhaps, send you home with a spring in your step.

brian@sph.com.sg