Kota Kinabalu: Tambalang Race 1 (Initiation) over 1,100m sand track tomorrow (Sunday) warrants attention with all eyes fixed on Oro Blanco.
Oro Blanco had smashed all opponents in his maiden race on Aug 17 with a commanding performance. Gentle Song and Delilah, quality-types, can try to upset. Menara Impian and Battle King round up the selections.
Race 5 (rating 53-83) over 1,200m turf track looks fascinating. This race is earmarked as a face-off between Wind of Liberty and Leggenda, new thoroughbreds to local racing circuit. Blarney Blink and Blue Chip are expected to challenge for placings.
Race 6 (Class 5) over 1,000m sand track is filled with class and quality as well as street fighter-types. Aqis and Magic Blinks, proven pedigrees, should be able to defend their respective turfs against Moonstar, Laxmana and Bandau.
Meticulously-prepared Magic Millions has strong winning chance on basis of last two fantastic runs finishing in first and second positions.
Perhaps the world’s next great thoroughbred superstar will be born today (Saturday) in the most anticipated new race of the year: the AUD$10 million Golden Eagle (Race 8/1.45pm) at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Australia.
The invincible Autumn Glow, 7 wins out of 7 starts, steps out to chase racing immortality.
Trained by Melbourne Cup winning trainer Chris Waller, Autumn Glow reunites with arguably world’s best jockey James McDonald (“J-Mac”), back in the saddle. This could be Autumn Glow’s toughest assignment to date.
An exceptional international line-up of four-year-olds, including Japan’s Panja Tower will surely go all out to out-run Autumn Glow. A winner of 4 from 6 starts, including the prestigious G1 NHK Mile in Tokyo, Panja Tower comes with undisputed credentials.
From UK comes Seagulls Eleven, to be ridden by crowd favourite jockey Tom Marquand.
“Aussie Tom” has achieved big-race victories Down Under, including an incredible five Group 1 triumphs. Evaporate adds depth to the starting field after finishing runner-up in New Zealand’s rising feature race, The Kiwi, earlier this year.
Gritty-type Linebacker has stamped his mark with a commanding Silver Eagle win on Everest Day.
Racing action preceding the Golden Eagle race is the AUD$3 million Russell Balding Stakes (Race 7/1pm), with an all-star cast of sprinting talent. Everest Cup place-getter Jimmysstar returns, joined by fellow contenders Briasa, War Machine, and Lady Shenandoah, alongside household names Private Eye and Rothfire.
Injecting more global flair, champion jockey Joao Moreira takes the reins on Japanese sprinter Strauss, who is bent to take on Australia’s elite speedsters.
Today’s Australia championship races are ‘appetisers’ leading up to the grandest and truly time-honoured 165th edition of the Melbourne Cup 2025 on Tuesday (Nov 4).
Twenty-four of the world’s best stayers with superstar jockeys on board will fight over a gruelling 3200m for a whopping AUD$10 million in prize money.
Pending official field announcement on Saturday late afternoon, entries include global as well as homeland champion horses from Australia, NZ, UK, Ireland, France, Japan and USA.
Early favourites are Buckaroo (UK), Onesmoothoperator (USA) and Al Riffa (France).
Royal Sabah Turf Club (RSTC) will have a live broadcast of the Melbourne Cup – the race that stops the nation – at Tambalang Racecourse, Kota Kinabalu and Keningau centres on Tuesday.
Visit RSTC website and Facebook for Saturday and Sunday race schedules and timings.
