Zulfikri leaps to the top of Ipoh log after bagging hat-trick of wins

IPOH – A brilliant hat-trick on Feb 14 has propelled Zulfikri Salim to the top of the jockey’s table in Ipoh, something he could not have envisioned at the start of season 2026.

The former apprentice to trainer Richard Lines was initially not granted a licence for the new season, but he successfully lodged an appeal and resumed riding in the races on Jan 18.

At his second meeting of the season, Zulfikri landed a double astride Jewel Sixty-One and Surfing Cloud on Feb 1.

Riding with a renewed vigour, the Malaysian hoop has now booted home a treble on Good Luck Boss, Ragnar and Electronic Boom for trainers Mahadi Taib, Stephen Cook and Lines respectively.

It was Mahadi’s first winner of the season when Good Luck Boss ($21) coasted to an easy win in the RM30,000 (S$9,700) Open Maiden sprint (1,100m) in Race 3.

The Grunt four-year-old mare found one to beat in Magic Mandy when she first raced in Ipoh in a similar race over 1,200m on Dec 28, 2025, but she ran her rivals off their feet this time – leading from start to finish at her fifth start to open her account by 5½ lengths.

The nine-year-old veteran Ragnar ($38), who finished second to Malakai at his last start in a Class 5A race (1,400m) on Feb 1, came from behind to beat the favourite Nimbus Flare (Liang Xiaochuan) in a similar event in Race 4.

The son of Shocking has been winless since taking out a Class 4A contest (1,600m) in Ipoh on Sept 14, 2024, when he was still under the care of Ooi Chin Chin.

Ragnar was transferred to Cook only two months ago and was ridden by Zulfikri for the first time.

After a back-to-back double, Zulfikri kept up his winning momentum with Electronic Boom in the very next race by claiming the Class 5B race (1,400m).

He rode Electronic Boom once in a Class 5A contest (1,200m) on Sept 7, 2025, but the pair was unplaced.

That was when Zulfikri was struggling to land a winner – until the final day of the season on Dec 28 when he won on Golden Cup.

But this time, former Macau galloper Electronic Boom ($36) made every post a winning one under Zulfikri before going on to win by 1¾ lengths from Limitless Thunder (Tham Kin Chong).

The Bel Esprit seven-year-old has now recorded three wins on the Malaysian turf.

Zulfikri rode his first winner – on Glory Star – for Lines in Penang on April 27, 2013.

His career has been on a roller-coaster ride since then, interrupted by several spells on the sidelines because of suspensions.

But with five wins in three meetings, Zulfikri now leads the Ipoh jockeys’ log with one win more than Tham.

“I am grateful for the opportunities I get from the trainers,” he said.

“It’s nice to ride a winner for my former boss (Lines) again.”
TURFONLINE