3 minute read

Just when the two best-supported horses sprang into contention halfway up the straight, Make U Famous decided it was his day when he wouldn’t be denied his own fame as he rose back from defeat to finally etch a first win to his record.

Taking up the running in the $20,000 Maiden race over 1100m in his 28th bid to hand his owners, the My Man No 2 Stable, that first sweet taste of success, Make U Famous (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) seemed headed for the runner-up stall yet again when second-favourite Gamely (Vlad Duric) collared and passed him at the top of the straight with favourite Pindus (Michael Rodd) next to gobble him up.

But the US-bred four-year-old by Tale Of The Cat picked himself off the canvas along the running rails to amazingly poke his head back for a stirring three-way stoush.

Gamely, who was also attempting to shed his bridesmaid tag (six times second from 17 starts), again turned winning post-shy 100m out as, to his camp's dismay, Make U Famous pegged him back and reclaimed the lead.

Pindus was still chipping away on the outside, but Make U Famous had the wood on the duo at the line – one head from Gamely with Pindus third another nose away. The winning time was 1min 5.47secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.

Kok, who knows the gelding well for having ridden him five times previously for two seconds and two thirds, was delighted he had come up with the winning formula in the end.

"It's amazing he won today. I rode him a couple of times before and had a few placings. Michael Rodd also finished second on him at his last start," said the current leading apprentice jockey.

"We had a soft early lead and I wanted to save him as much as I could. Once Vlad's horse (Gamely) came besides us, my horse was very competitive.

"He had a light weight, and he showed he likes a battle when other horses come close."

While the Alwin Tan-trained Make U Famous  (used to be under trainer Kuah Cheng Tee's care) was at his first win paycheque, his previous earnings from his eight placings have helped him already reach more than $50,000 in prizemoney.