Trainer Selvan’s Written Towin and Single Warrior also impress

Three horses, who are down to contest the races on Nov 23, were put through their paces on Nov 18.

It was not the usual morning trackwork at the Selangor Turf Club, but they were sent to the trials and came away looking good.

Trained by Richard Lines, Yin Yuan took the second hit-out in good fashion.

The Nick Selvan-trained Written Towin ran away with the third trial while his stablemate Single Warrior produced a terrific run late in his trial to land the goodies in the last of four.

But, if one had to push for the most outstanding win of the morning, it would be Yin Yuan.

One of a huge team of 26 entered by his 11-time Malaysian champion trainer for the two days of racing at Sungai Besi on Nov 22 and 23, Yin Yuan was a different runner from what we have seen of him in three starts.

Partnered by apprentice Ikram Jamaludin, the four-year-old gelding was neatly into his running rhythm and, even before the runners had made that sweeping turn on the far side, he held the lead from Pacific Delight (Bahauddin Sharudin) and Platinum Universal (Ruzaini Supien).

The young Malaysian apprentice had Yin Yuan on a good hold over the 1,000m, and the sand track did not seem to bother him.

A furlong out and the challengers faded.

On his day, Yin Yuan was just too smart. The son of Sweynesse ran to the line a good two-length winner.

Pacific Delight held down second spot, leaving Platinum Universal a further 2½ lengths away in third spot.

To date, the best he has achieved in three starts was to finish fifth to Smart Cat in a Novice race (1,200m) at his last start on Nov 2, but the New Zealand-bred is probably better than that.

Until being sent to Malaysia to continue his racing, Yin Yuan – then known as Speculating – had raced four times in Australia, where he once finished second in a 1,400m contest at Pakenham in Melbourne on Aug 30, 2024.

Fred Kersley was the jockey and Speculating went down by ½ length to Vino Grande.

Lines has picked the Open Maiden 1,500m race for Yin Yuan and, with that good trial under his girth, he could be anything he chooses to be.

In the third trial, which was also run on the sand track, Written Towin tossed in a fighting show under Khairil Zulkiflee.

Right from the get-go, he was involved in a three-way tussle with Lawson Moy's Top Show – the mount of Uzair Sharudin – and the Ananthen Kuppan-trained Mega Titan, who was ridden by Ruzaini.

The trio matched strides all the way, leaving Pacific Angel (Bahauddin) and Sir Ruby (Troy See) in their wake.

It was still a line of three at the 150m mark, but Written Towin found that little extra to take the trial by half a length, clocking 1min 02.65sec. 

Top Show stayed on for second, just another ½ length in front of Mega Titan.

Selvan would have been very pleased with the show put up by Written Towin, who last greeted the judge when he won in a Class 5A event (1,275m) on Aug 17.

After that run, the former Kranji galloper – who also won once over the 1,100m at Kranji in 2023 when under the care of Shane Baertschiger – could only produce a third in three subsequent outings.

That was in a Class 4B contest over the 1,100m on Sept 28.

The Australian-bred will see action in the Class 4B sprint over the 1,275m.

Do not leave him out of your calculations.

That showing at the trials told us that the 37 days off the scene had not dulled his desire to race.

Selvan would pick up another win when Single Warrior strolled away to take the honours in the final trial of the morning.

Another one who was ridden by Khairil, the six-year-old son of Swiss Ace was allowed to sit behind Chiharu (Ruzaini) and Always Lucky (Mohd Zaki) who chose to set the pace.

When Single Warrior finally decided to make a race of it, which was at the furlong mark, he was still five lengths behind the pair.

But, in one final burst, the New Zealand-bred narrowed the deficit and drew alongside before speeding away to win by 1½ lengths.

Single Warrior's last win was in a Class 4B race (1,300m) on March 9.

The three-time winner takes on Class 5 opposition on Nov 23. The drop in class could be just what he is waiting for.