Platinum Emperor (NZ) (Sweynesse) had a richly deserved day in the Malaysian big-race spotlight on Saturday with his victory in the RM300,000 NZB Open Championship (1400m) at Selangor.
The lucrative race was restricted to graduates of NZB Sales. Platinum Emperor was offered by CH Bloodstock Ltd in Book 2 of Karaka 2021, where he was bought for $29,000.
Platinum Emperor spent the early part of his career in Macau, where he won eight of his 26 starts and the equivalent of more than NZ$320,000 in prize-money.
He made a big early impression following his arrival in Malaysia, winning three of his first four starts there and earning favouritism for last year’s Selangor Gold Cup (1600m). However, he lost his rider during that big race and then spent several months off the scene due to a muscle issue he sustained in that incident.
Trainer Ricky Choi gradually got him back racing and back to somewhere near his best, with his first six starts of this year producing two wins and four placings. Choi’s patience and perseverance were richly rewarded on Saturday with a memorable NZB Open Championship triumph.
Platinum Emperor was caught wide early in the race, but jockey Oscar Chavez was able to slot into fourth and one off the rail.
Mega Ace (Earthlight) set the pace and opened up a commanding three-length lead on Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn) through the middle stages of the race.
Those efforts began to take their toll on Mega Ace coming into the straight, and he was swallowed up by Antipodean and Lucky Magic (NZ) (Mendelssohn) with 200 metres to run.
Then Platinum Emperor pounced on that pair and put them away with ease, going on to beat Antipodean by a length and three-quarters.
“After the heartache of the Selangor Gold Cup last year, Platinum Emperor deserves this,” Choi said.
“We were so confident the he would win, and we had to start from scratch to get him into top shape. We gave him a lot of massages and care in the few months he was laid off, and finally he is 100 percent again.
“I am targeting the Selangor Gold Cup on September 27 next, and hopefully we have better luck this time.”
For Chavez, the NZB Open Championship win came from his very first ride on the seven-year-old Platinum Emperor.
“I wasn’t worried when caught wide early, because he races better on the outside of horses,” the Panamanian jockey said.
“I was keeping an eye on Antipodean, and I also saw that the horse in front was going at a very fast pace.
“When they started to come back to me at the 350 metres, I knew I was going to win.”
| Vendor | CH Bloodstock Ltd |
| Purchaser | Mr HN Auret (Manawatu-Whanganui) |
| Breeding | Sweynesse – Florence Hilton |
| Sale | Lot 793, Karaka 2021 Book 2, $29,000 |
| Breeder | KJ Hickman ONZM |
| Owner | Platinum Racing Stables |
