Elliot Ness can go one better

Keep an eye on Elliot Ness in the fourth event at the Selangor Turf Club on Oct 26.

Trainer Nick Selvan seems to have got his Written Tycoon eight-year-old ticking over for a big showing at his 47th race start.

Selvan sent the seven-time winner to the trials on the morning of Oct 22 and Elliot Ness did not disappoint.

Sure, he was beaten into second spot but the winner just happened to be that 90-point rater, Noah Khan. And even then, he went down by only a short head.

Run on the sand track, the trial proved to be a three-horse affair right from the get-go with Elliot Ness (Khairil Zulkiflee), Noah Khan (Aify Yahaya) and Pacific Atlantic (Benny Woodworth) trading blows - and a share of the lead - all the way.

Indeed, with 400m to the line, they were three abreast.

That was when Noah Khan got his head down to take the honours in a time of 1min 2.17sec.

While the honours went to that highly rated galloper, it was Elliot Ness who came away looking really sharp and good.

A winner over 1,275m on Sept 6, Elliot Ness did not justify confidence at his last two outings but, on the strength of this most recent trial, he should get things right when he tackles the sharp sprint on Oct 26.

In the opening trial of the morning, which was run on turf, the "boys" took a beating when Rich N Powerful swamped them to win in a time of 1min 00.54sec.

The margin was a length but she did it with loads of authority.

Saddled by Tan Eng Peow, who had two other runners in the nine-horse line-up, Rich N Powerful turned on the style right from the get-go. However, up in the saddle, apprentice Shazmin Sudin did not take things for granted and, although he was in front at the furlong marker, he still scrubbed the seven-year-old mare home.

A two-time winner by Dream Ahead, Rich N Powerful posted her last win way back on Nov 2.

It has been a long wait between drinks, but Rich N Powerful does have plenty of racing left in those legs of hers.

So, accord her some respect when she trots to the start in Race 4, a Class 4B (1,020m) on Oct 25. Like she did at the trials, she could pull off a winning coup.

Second-placed Astro Nascente, a newcomer in Selvan's yard, tried to make a fight of it but, on the day, the entire by Time Test had to concede that the trial truly belonged to the mare.

Still, he would have taken loads away from that hit-out and it might even have reignited a winning spark.

While Astro Nascente has still to race and win in Malaysia, he does know a thing or two about getting home ahead of the rest.

When racing as Needtobeseen in Victoria, Australia, he won a 1,300m race at Wangaratta racecourse.

That was on May 15, 2025 and it was his last outing Down Under before being flown out to Kuala Lumpur to join Selvan's team.

Two horses to watch out for when they do go to the races are Style Of Dragon and Pacific Spirit.

There was little to separate them at the finish of the third trial of the morning but, as we now know, Style Of Dragon had his head down at just the right time and he pipped Pacific Spirit (Benny Woodworth) in a photo finish.

Style Of Dragon's last win was at Ipoh on Jan 11 while he took second spot, beaten by a head in a 1,275m sprint on March 16.

However, the Pride Of Dubai six-year-old went flat in his next two outings before adding money to the till when taking second spot on June 8 and June 28.

He has been a good horse for his connections and with this latest win under his girth, he could be ready to show off at his next start.

brian@sph.com.sg