IPOH — The six-year-old mare Banker's Sweetheart clinched the Miss Malaysia Tourism Trophy in a combined Classes 2 and 3 race over 1,200 meters at the Perak Turf Club on October 18. The event was part of the Miss Malaysia Tourism pageant activities held in Ipoh, with the turf club among the event sponsors.

Ridden by Malaysian jockey Johari Kamaruddin and trained by Johnny Lim Boon Thong, Banker's Sweetheart tracked closely behind the early leader Stop The Water, piloted by Syafikie Zailuddin, before surging past in the final 200 meters to claim victory by six lengths. The mare completed the course in 1 minute 9.65 seconds. Stormrunner, ridden by Ruzaini Supien, came from mid-pack to secure second place ahead of Banker's Baby, with jockey Zulhilmi Mazuki aboard.

Johari noted that Banker's Sweetheart performed steadily throughout the race, responding well to the middle track position he chose after the inner lanes had been degraded by earlier races. “She travelled on the bit all the way and just took off from 200 meters,” Johari said following the win. The mare, owned by Banker's Stable, had previously raced in Australia under the name Miss Flirtacious, earning five wins from 19 starts before transferring to Johnny Lim's stable in late 2025.

Since relocating to Malaysia, Banker's Sweetheart has competed 11 times, with the Ipoh track proving favorable for the mare. This recent victory marked her second consecutive win in Ipoh, having defeated Stop The Water previously in June’s Mitavite Asia Cup, also with Johari as the rider. Despite mixed results at Sungai Besi, where she is yet to notch a win in nine attempts, the mare has demonstrated strong performances at Perak Turf Club.

Johnny Lim’s training success extended beyond Banker's Sweetheart as his gelding Banker's Victory won the Benchmark 74 contest over 1,600 meters on the same day. Ridden by apprentice Zulhilmi Mazuki, who benefited from a 4kg weight allowance, Banker's Victory held off Group 1 Perak Derby runner-up Winning Stride to secure a commanding front-running victory. This marked Banker's Victory's first start at Ipoh after three previous wins at Sungai Besi.

Jockey Ruzaini Supien, although finishing runner-up on Stormrunner in the featured event, enjoyed a productive day at the races. He recorded three wins in the 12-race meeting, adding to a successful weekend in which he amassed five winners overall across two venues. Previously, he achieved double wins in Kuala Lumpur and consecutive victories at Sungai Besi on October 17. Ruzaini, Malaysia’s 2024 champion jockey, expressed satisfaction with his current form following a period without wins during his comeback after a one-year suspension.

“There were a couple of months when I drew a blank. I feel young again, I feel alive and very much how I was in 2024,” Ruzaini commented on his resurgence. His winning rides at Ipoh included Golden Show, Starlight Glimmer, and Gold Eighty-Three in the initial races.

The weekend’s racing highlighted both established and emerging talents, with performances underlining Ipoh’s growing prominence as a competitive venue alongside traditional Malaysian racecourses.