The phenomenal rise of Pasir Pinji (NZ) (Nadeem), named after a new village in Ipoh, will forever earn a place in the annals of horse racing in Malaysia.
The New Zealand bred gelding arrived from Singapore with just one win in an Open Maiden in 18 starts at Kranji.
A year ago this month, the son of Nadeem made a winning start to his Malaysian campaign, winning a Class 5B race. He swiftly made progress with eight wins in 10 more starts but was still a Class 4 horse last May.
Pasir Pinji was pitted against much stronger opposition twice last month and came out with flying colours both times in Stayers Stakes B and Supreme C events.
The stage was then set for the seven-year-old to take on the best in the RM150,0000 Hygain Horse City Selangor Gold Cup (1600m) at Sungei Besi on Sunday.
Jockey Bernado Pinheiro, who had scored twice on the gelding in previous visits to the capital this year, took the ride and what a brilliant one it was, with Pasir Pinji winning by half a length.
“I couldn’t be happier with the results,” said Pinheiro. “I first won on him four months ago. He (Pasir Pinji) is a small horse with a big heart.
“Thank God everything went well. I had a good cover and made him breathe and relax. In the straight, he gave me everything.”
Kiwi expat Simon Dunderdale was delighted to train the winner of the feature.
“What a little ripper horse Pasir Pinji is,” Dunderdale said.
“He arrived from Singapore and won his first race for us in Class 5B. Now he is a (Malaysian) Group One winner. Great ride from Bernardo.”
Bred by the late Chris Luoni, Pasir Pinji was originally sold as a yearling at Karaka in 2018, knocked down for $6,000 to the bid of Peter Lock from the draft of the Westend Partnership.
He was later presented at the Ready To Run Sale, where Singapore trainer Donna Logan purchased the son of Nadeem out of the six-win mare Mistaar for $34,000 from the draft of Woburn Farm.
Pasir Pinji winning the Selangor Gold Cup
