First win in hometown Ipoh for Simon Kok

IPOH – Despite being crowned champion apprentice jockey twice (2019 and 2020) in Singapore previously, and having ridden winners in other jurisdictions as well, jockey Simon Kok Wei Hoong has never ridden a winner in his hometown Ipoh, until the Aug 1 meeting.

Coincidentally, that success in the 10th and last race – the RM21,000 (S$6,600) Class 5B contest (1,400m) – was also the 31-year-old Malaysian jockey’s maiden winner, Thunder Hero, this season on his 45th ride.

“This is special,” said Kok, who made his return to race-riding in Malaysia in June.

“While based in Singapore, I made the occasional one-day trips to ride here, but never won a race.”

Kok started as an equestrian rider at the Perak Turf Club at the age of 10, and watched the races from the showjumping arena located next to the race track.

After riding trackwork for trainer Frank Maynard for one year at Sungai Besi, he headed to Singapore. There, his biggest race win came on board Big Hearted in the 2020 Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m).

Following the closure of the Singapore Turf Club in October 2024, Kok rode in the United Arab Emirates but later stepped away from competitive riding to reassess his career direction.

But it has been a frustrating wait for that elusive first win for him, with four seconds and two thirds in the past two months.

Among them, two of the second placegetters were from trainer Winson Cheng Han Yong’s yard. This time, it was the Malaysian handler’s runner Thunder Hero, who provided Kok with his breakthrough win.

The seven-year-old gelding failed to open his account at Kranji, but scored twice in his first three outings for Cheng after his transfer to Sungai Besi in October 2024.

The Belardo galloper has been winless since.

Thunder Hero ($47) was one of the first to break before settling in third, tracking the pacemaker Bakuteh (Safwan Saari) and Stretchy Four (Lim Aun Keat).

Thunder Hero stayed in that position until the 400m, where he made his run on the outside of Bakuteh and Stretchy Four. Meanwhile, Tigress Faith (Haikal Hanif) closed in rapidly on the rails and looked a threat.

But it was Thunder Hero who headed Bakuteh at the 200m before sprinting away to win as he liked by six lengths.

Limitless Thunder (Nuqman Rozi) came home strongly to beat Bakuteh into third by a neck.

The winning time was 1min 26.93sec for the 1,400m on the long course.

Kok was pleased with Thunder Hero’s effortless victory.

“The horse jumped well and travelled nicely all the way,” he said.

“I didn’t expect to win, but nevertheless, I wish to thank Cheng and the owners (Happy Baby Stable) for their support.”

In the highlight event of the 10-race meeting, Stop The Water ($25) came out tops in the RM35,000 Cosmo C race (1,300m).

The Headwater galloper has romped away to his first win in his sixth start this season.

Now trained by Kevin Coetzee – who recorded one second and a fourth in as many starts with the Australian gelding since taking over from Richard Lines – Stop The Water (Syafifie Zailuddin) did not jump particularly well but quickly rushed to the front to lead on settling down.

The speedster, who won three races at Kranji and four at Sungai Besi previously, broke away after travelling 400m to lead by seven lengths at the 400m.

Stop The Water held on to his lead upon entering the straight but began to drift out to finish near the outside fence in the final 100m.

But the six-year-old gelding still had three lengths to spare at the post, with the odds-on favourite Stormrunner (Zulfikri Salim) finishing best of the rest to take second.

Flying Fighter (Saddam Saari) finished third.

“I told (apprentice) Syafifie to take the lead which he did,” said Coetzee.

“I wasn’t worried when he was so far in front of the field because he was travelling well within himself.

“In the final 100m, he was probably tired when he drifted out wide.

“I removed the hood on him today and put blinkers on instead. That, with Syafifie claiming 2kg, made the difference.”

The in-form South African conditioner enjoyed another good day at the office with three other winners.

He started off with Onemorefortheroad ($20), who landed back-to-back wins in the Class 5A contest (1,800m) in Race 5 under Syafifie.

Onemorefortheroad was the Malaysian apprentice jockey’s 80th winner, so his claim will be reduced to 1kg with effect from Aug 3.

Syafifie went on to complete a double in the very next race atop Stop The Water.

Coetzee won his third consecutive race when Shihab ($21) also made it two consecutive wins in the Class 5B race (1,400m).

His fourth win came with Fight To Win ($15), who notched his fifth career success in the Class 5A race (1,400m) in Race 9.

Besides scoring on board Shihab and Fight To Win, Saari also took out the Open Maiden race (1,200m) with debutant Perfect Serdang ($20).

Placed in two from three runs in Australia, the Flying Artie galloper romped home by 3¼ lengths for Maynard, who only saddled one runner at the meeting. TURFONLINE