Duma wins first NZB race
KUALA LUMPUR Duma ran his rivals off their feet in the first RM150,000 (S$45,000) New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Ready To Run 2023 Graduate Cup (1,400m) held at Sungai Besi on April 6.
The race is the first of a series of races held for graduates from the NZB's 2023 Ready To Run Sale as part of a partnership between Selangor Turf Club and NZB. The second race, RM300,000 NZB Ready To Run Open Championship (1,400m), will be run on Nov 2.
Trained by Frank Maynard, Duma was unbeaten in two starts in 2024 and kicked off the 2025 season with two seconds, but only beat one home last time in a Class 4A race (1,300m) on March 9.
Maynard opted to put blinkers on the Too Darn Hot three-year-old and it worked. Duma (Nuqman Rozi, $10) pulled away from the rest to win by 4¾ lengths. Trees Of Valinor, a recent transfer to Maynard's yard, flashed home for second.
"The blinkers made the difference," said the Australian trainer.
"He will head to the (Group 1) Selangor Gold Cup (1,600m on Sept 14). He will probably have another race before then."
Maynard also bagged a double with former Kranji galloper Cheval Blanc ($24) after he took out the RM62,000 Supreme A race (1,400m) under Lim Shung Uai. SELANGOR TURF CLUB/TURFONLINE
