Selvan’s finger on the Trigger
Former Kranji B trainer not sleeping on his laurels as he readies for more business trips
Second-year trainer Nick Selvan clearly intends to continue making his presence felt in Malaysia.
Off to a remarkable 10th-place finish on 26 winners at his first season in 2023 despite a late start, the 56-year-old has already outscored himself with 35 winners at his sophomore year, sitting fifth on the present log.
There is hardly a Malaysian race day that goes by without the Kuala Lumpur handler visiting the winner’s circle, boasting a handy strike of rate of 14.5 per cent to boot.
Last week, he won one race in Sungai Besi with Buuraq Sixty-One, and the week before it was Titan Pegasus at the same venue.
Aiming even higher, the former assistant trainer to ex-Kranji trainer Stephen Gray will pack his suitcase if it can bring more success to his stables.
He is doing just that – not once, but twice, for two slightly different racing-related reasons – in the next two weeks.
The first jaunt is only a four-hour drive up north to neighbouring Penang where Selvan will float up only one horse, Trigger Pegasus.
The Deep Field six-year-old, who already won a mini-feature for Selvan in the Charity Cup (1,400m) in Ipoh on Aug 25, will contest the Batu Gantong highlight, the RM160,000 (S$48,400) Anniversary Cup (1,400m).
To the former jockey, it is a winnable race for Donna Logan’s former prolific Kranji five-timer when known as Trident, even if the runs after the Charity Cup seemed to be lacklustre.
“The field was too strong at his last start, even if it was over his best distance of 1,400m,“ said Selvan referring to his 10th place in the Sports Toto Supreme Challenge Cup 2024, a Supreme A race (1,400m) in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 13, beaten nine lengths by Malaysia’s current star, Antipodean.
“I feel the 1,600m is too far for him. He was well beaten in the Selangor Gold Cup (Sept 8).
“I think he’s been running over distances that did not suit him.
“That’s why I’ve targeted that 1,400m Penang race for him. I think he should run well.
“I wouldn’t say this is easier, but he’s got a very good chance. He’s in very good condition.”
Should the day trip not pay off, the Kuala Lumpur-born Selvan has a team of nine runners, including a standby runner, he can still fall back on at his home turf on the next day.
“I’ve got a few runners in KL on Sunday. I think Dancing Tycoon and Kim Kim are my two best chances,” said Selvan.
But, from a more far-reaching standpoint, it is a longer-haul trip on Nov 15 which has Selvan even more excited, both racing-wise and for personal reasons.
“I’m going to buy new horses for my owners at the Karaka Ready To Run sale on Nov 20 and 21,” he said.
“It’s my first time going to a sale. But it’s not my first time in New Zealand. I spent many years as a jockey there.
“My master was Richard Otto, who doesn’t train any more. But, as he lives in Cambridge which is near the sales, I’ll catch up with him for a few drinks.”
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