Malaysian apprentice jockey Zawari Razali’s perseverance saw Pure Justice squeeze between runners to get the money by the barest of margins on Sunday.

The win for his master Mark Walker in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1000m allows the Kelantan-born jockey to stay in touch with reigning Singapore champion apprentice jockey Wong Chin Chuen, sitting on 21 winners, just one astern.

Not the best away in the small eight-horse field, Pure Justice ($61), however, picked up more ground as he was urged along the rails from the 600m to take closer order on leader Hero Champion (Chin Chee Seng).



Pure Justice (Zawari Razali, on the rails) just touches out Hero Champion (Chin Chee Seng). picture Singapore Turf Club

But he still looked like he had the job ahead when Hero Champion was joined by Uncle Lucky (Craig Grylls) and odds-on favourite Speedy Phoenix (Manoel Nunes) who was desperately trying to lift through the rails gap, effectively presenting a wall of three horses with no apparent crack through them.

Zawari did not give up, though, and was rewarded for his self-belief when he swept past the weakening Speedy Phoenix to tackle the first two. Even then, Hero Champion gave the impression he would hang on to give his comeback apprentice jockey Chin a first win in a long time.

Pure Justice kept rallying and lunged late to clinch the race by a nose from Hero Champion with Uncle Lucky having to settle for third place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 59.11 seconds for the 1000m on the Polytrack.

“I don’t know this horse much as I don’t ride him in trackwork,” said Zawari.

“He was travelling okay at the back but in the straight, he was not really quickening but when he suddenly picked up, I thought I had a chance.

“It was a bit tight for room but he went good between winners. I wasn’t sure I won, but I was happy to see my number up.”

Walker said he had not really been expecting the Lucky Stable-owned galloper to come to the fore on Sunday, especially on the Polytrack.

“I was surprised he won. His Polytrack form is not that good and the fair horse (Speedy Phoenix) looked good on paper,” said the in-form New Zealand trainer.

“He looked to be blocked for a run on the inside, but Zawari rode him very well.”

With that second win under the belt, Pure Justice has seen his stakes earnings hit the $70,000 mark for the Lucky Stable.