Antipodean back with a bang for Dunderdale
Top-class galloper Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn) produced devastating turn of foot to win the RM70,000 Trinity Cup for Class 1 horses over 1400m at Sungai Besi on Sunday for ex-pat Kiwi trainer Simon Dunderdale.
Winning jockey Bernardo Pinheiro said the best is yet to come from the champion galloper.
“He’s about 85 percent today and should be 100 percent for the Selangor Gold Cup (on Sep 14),” said the Brazilian jockey.
Pinheiro should know. He rode Antipodean to four of the gelding’s nine wins last year including the 3YO Pacific Cup (1200m) and the Selangor Gold Cup (1600m).
Antipodean was transferred to trainer Tiang Kim Choi at the end of 2024 and although he won once in six starts for his new conditioner earlier this season, he failed to regain his brilliant best form.
That prompted his owner Yee Kin Kong to send him back to trainer Simon Dunderdale just one month before the RM1mil Selangor Mile (for four-year-olds) on Jul 20.
Antipodean ran a mighty race – according to Pinheiro who rode him that day – when he gave weight away all-round and finished third to Lucky Magic.
Antipodean progressed from that run to come from the clouds to collar leader Pacific Vampire right on the line.
Jockey Bernardo Pinheiro, owner Yee Kin Kong and trainer Simon Dunderdale with their trophies
“He (Antipodean) is an amazing horse,” Pinheiro said.
“He is one of the top horses in Malaysia. He got out of his form a while ago but Simon (Dunderdale) and his team did an amazing job to being him back (to form).
“Since arriving back in KL (Kuala Lumpur) I have been riding him every day on the track and he has been improving. I am very happy with the win and now we look forward to the Selangor Gold Cup.
“He has all the chance to fight in the Cup. We used this race to prepare him for the Cup and we can expect a better race from him.”
Winning trainer Simon Dunderdale was delighted to see Antipodean return to the winner’s circle now back in his care.
“It’s a very strong win from Antipodean,” Dunderdale said.
“He had to work very hard to catch Pacific Vampire and didn’t have the easiest of runs. Bernardo knows the horse very well.”
Antipodean was purchased by Dunderdale for NZ$23,000 from the draft of Regal Farm at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2022.
