Selangor Turf Club will take centre stage on Sunday as the second running of the Selangor Mile brings together a strong field of four-year-olds, including a prominent contingent of New Zealand-bred runners looking to continue Karaka’s impressive record in the race.
The inaugural Selangor Mile last year saw Karaka graduate Lucky Magic (NZ) claim the honours, and a fresh group of graduates from New Zealand’s leading sales venue will attempt to repeat that success in the RM1 million (approximately NZ$420,000) feature over 1600 metres.
The Selangor Mile 2026 brings together some of the best four-year-olds in Malaysia, with a capacity field of 16 runners and four emergencies accepted for the second edition of the prestigious contest.
Six Karaka graduates are among the confirmed runners, while two additional contenders were bred in New Zealand, underlining the strong influence of New Zealand bloodstock in the region.
The Selangor Mile 2026 will be held on Sunday and carries a prize purse of RM1 million, making it the most valuable race on the Malaysian calendar.
Last year’s inaugural winner Lucky Magic (NZ), a son of Mendelssohn, provided a memorable result for New Zealand connections after being purchased for $75,000 at the 2022 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.
The six NZB graduates competing this year were sourced from several major sales, including the 2023 Ready to Run Sale, Book 1 of Karaka 2023 and the 2022 National Weanling Sale. Their average purchase price stood at $110,833, reflecting the quality of the group heading into Sunday’s feature.
Banker’s Smile (Justify) was the highest-priced of the Karaka graduates, having been purchased for $340,000, while Storm Titan (NZ) (Ace High) represented the value end of the group after being bought for $15,000.
With a strong representation of New Zealand-bred talent, the second running of the Selangor Mile promises to further strengthen the connection between Karaka graduates and Malaysian racing.
The Selangor Mile will be Race 9 on Sunday’s programme, with the scheduled start time set for 4.20pm local time, which is 8.20pm New Zealand time.
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