As part of an effort to encourage the importation of quality young horses into Malaysia and to boost the horse population, NZB is proud to partner with the Selangor Turf Club for the running of Saturday’s RM100,000 NZB 3YO Trophy (1400m) eligible for graduates of NZB sales only.
It is the second lucrative three-year-old feature to be added to the Selangor calendar this year, following on from the 3YO Pacific Cup (1200m), which was run for the same stake on June 23. The Pacific Cup was stylishly won by the undefeated NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn), who also headlines the line-up for Saturday’s big race.
Antipodean was bred by Grangewilliam Stud, who passed him in during Book 2 of Karaka 2022 with a reserve of NZ$40,000. He was subsequently offered by Regal Farm at the 2022 Ready to Run Sale, where trainer Simon Dunderdale secured him for NZ$23,000.
Antipodean has been a highly impressive winner of all of his six starts to date, earning RM113,400 (NZ$39,686) with the prospect of much more to come for owner Yee Kin Kong. He will be ridden by Brazilian jockey Carlos Henrique in Saturday’s New Zealand Bloodstock 3-Year-Old Trophy, where all eyes will be on him as he jumps from gate eight in a field of 10.
But Antipodean is not the only NZB-sourced runner among the talented line-up. His Dunderdale-trained stablemate Military Flag (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) was a NZ$52,500 purchase from the 2022 Ready to Run Sale. His eight-start career has produced four wins, three placings and RM75,500 (NZ$26,422).
Rhythm Of Zen (NZ) (Time Test) cost NZ$26,000 at that same Ready to Run Sale. He has had 11 starts for two wins, three placings and RM33,904 (NZ$11,865).
Flying Warrior (NZ) (Complacent) was offered during the 2022 National Online Yearling Sale, where he sold for just NZ$500. His seven-start career has produced two wins and RM13,200 (NZ$4,619).
Graphjet Express (NZ) (Belardo) was a NZ$75,000 purchase from the 2022 Ready to Run Sale. He has had just four starts to date for a win and two placings, banking RM15,880 (NZ$5,557).
Charming Win (NZ) (Charm Spirit) was bought for NZ$62,500 at the Ready to Run Sale. He has yet to win in 10 starts, but has placed in eight of them and has earned RM12,776 (NZ$4,471).
Swordsman Scholar (NZ) (Wrote) was a NZ$55,000 purchase from the Ready to Run Sale. Little has been seen of him in Malaysia so far, finishing seventh in his only start.
Rounding out the field is the filly Sunny Day (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), who cost NZ$4,000 in Book 2 of Karaka 2022. She has placed in three of her seven starts, earning RM7,692 (NZ$2,691).
The NZB 3-Year-Old Trophy will be run as Race 6 at Selangor on Saturday, with a scheduled start time of 4.15pm local time (8.15pm NZT).
