C.C. Wong tastes success on Winning Stride again in Ipoh

IPOH – It was a triumphant reunion for jockey Wong Chin Chuen and Winning Stride when the pair captured the main event – the RM39,000 (S$12,200) combined Cosmo B and C race (1,400m) – in Ipoh on Aug 8.

The two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey last won on the son of Wrote in a Class 4 race (1,600m) at Kranji on Aug 6, 2023, when he was still trained by Australian conditioner Steven Burridge.

But Wong also had a rather frustrating time on the New Zealand gelding, having finished second five times from six other rides on him in Singapore.

The Penang-born hoop recently returned to the Malaysia racing circuit. He rode a double at his first meeting on July 26, including his victory in the Selangor Mile (1,600m) atop the Simon Dunderdale-trained Aquitaine, after wrapping up a successful two-year riding stint in South Korea.

Wong, who has not ridden in Ipoh for more than 10 years, finished unplaced in four rides at his first meeting on Aug 1.

But he was quick to get on the board with the now eight-year-old Winning Stride.

Leong Ma Biscuit (Aizat Malik), trained by Yan Weng Kuan, was the first to break and led the field before Sousui (Syafifie Zailuddin) took up the running in the back straight.

Winning Stride (Wong) was patiently biding his time several lengths away in third.

Leong Ma Biscuit raced up to Sousui at the 800m, headed him soon after and led into the straight. Sousui still sat in second and Winning Stride ($9) closed in quickly, just ahead of stablemate Heavenly Warrior (Saddam Saari).

The grey galloper trained by Kevin Coetzee then hit the front at the 200m, with Heavenly Warrior chasing him on the outside.

Soon, the Coetzee-trained pair broke away from the rest to fight out the finish, with Winning Stride prevailing by half a length.

Leong Ma Biscuit finished five lengths away in third.

The winning time for the 1,400m on the short course was 1min 22.56sec.

Wong said Winning Stride still has the habit of stopping after leading, but the post came in time.

“The horse was (fit and) ready, jumped well and we settled nicely behind the leaders,” said Wong, who also finished third aboard the Winson Cheng Han Yong-trained AI Phantom in the Class 4A race (1,200m) in his other ride of the day.

“After we hit the front in the last 100m, he was sort of waiting for others to come at him.

“I won once on him in Singapore but, on the other occasions, he kind of stopped after we had taken the lead and got caught.

“He never changed his bad habit. Luckily today, we got home first. It’s a nice result for my first ride for Coetzee.”

A five-year-old son of Ribchester, Heavenly Warrior’s three-race winning run came to an end this time, but Coetzee was not disheartened.

Instead, the South African trainer is already eyeing a 1,400m Group 1 feature event for both his runners on Aug 23.

“Both horses are equally fit,” he said. Winning Stride and Heavenly Warrior were the joint equal favourites.

“Heavenly Warrior will be better over a longer trip. Winning Stride, too, will appreciate a longer distance.

“For now, they will both run in the Perak Gold Vase in two week’s time.”

Coetzee went on to saddle Shihab ($15), Straight N Arrow ($38) and Talkingtalkingguru ($17) to victory, making it the third consecutive meeting – after July 25 and July 12 – that he has emerged with at least four winners.

Meanwhile, jockey Randy Tan was off the mark in his comeback to racing when he piloted Kong Fu Panda ($43) to victory in the Class 4A contest (1,200m) in the lucky last.

The 35-year-old Malaysian hoop was in his third meeting in Ipoh after a two-year hiatus.

He cut his teeth in Australia, starting out as an apprentice in 2014 and went to ride in nearly 4,000 races, winning 257 of them.

Initially based in Perth where he enjoyed much success, Tan later moved to Melbourne but unfortunately met with limited opportunities.

As a result, he returned home in 2024 to take a break before kicking off his new stint with one ride on board Zygarde – albeit unplaced – in Ipoh on July 12.

This time, there was a keen tussle for the early lead in the field of 12.

Infinite Wisdom (Saddam) and Lucky Lyle (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) shared the lead and set the pace ahead of AI Phantom (Wong), High Flyin’ Rosie (Nuqman Rozi) and Kong Fu Panda (Tan).

Infinite Wisdom and Lucky Lyle led into the straight with AI Phantom, Kong Fu Panda and High Flyin’ Rosie almost in a line behind the leaders.

Lucky Lyle beat off Infinite Wisdom at the 200m, but was soon challenged by Kong Fu Panda and AI Phantom.

The Peter Lee-trained Kong Fu Panda hit the front at the 50m to win by ¾ length from California Warrior (Aizat), who was flashing home.

Tan was happy with his first winner and hopes to ride in Kuala Lumpur too.

“It’s nice to get a win on my third meeting back,” said Tan.

“He (Kong Fu Panda) settled nicely in midfield early. I got to work him from the 600m and he gave me plenty in the straight.

“Hopefully, this is the start of many winners to come.

“I have applied to ride in KL and I am currently riding track work at Sungai Besi for (trainer) Tiang (Kim Choi).”

It was Kong Fu Panda’s first win for Lee after seven starts and it was a nolstagic moment.

“Randy’s father, Tan Joo Hock, used to work for me as a track rider for many years in the 1980s,” said Lee.

The Malaysian trainer legged Tan up on Let’s Come On Baby in a Class 5B race (1,400m) on Aug 1, but the pair finished third behind Wilsing.

A Showcasing eight-year-old, Kong Fu Panda was the 2024 Perak Gold Vase winner – then run over 1,100m – when trained by Tiang.

The Na Zha Stable-owned galloper was transferred to ex-trainer Sharee Hamilton’s yard in late 2025 but did not win in seven starts.

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