PENANG horse trainer Arumugam Palani is hoping to close his racing chapter at Batu Gantong on a glorious note when the Penang Turf Club (PTC), founded in 1864, hosts its final race meeting tomorrow (May 31).
Popularly known as “Mopiko” in the racing fraternity, Arumugam has entered only one horse, JB Kaingeh, in Race 2 (Special Class 5A – 1,200m) of the historic meeting, and is counting on jockey F. Yap to steer it to victory.
A win would be the icing on the cake for the 47-year-old, who has spent most of his life on the racecourse.
The PTC, Malaysia’s oldest racing club, is closing its doors after 161 years due to mounting financial losses.
“I have many fond memories of the Batu Gantong course, as I virtually grew up at the clubhouse. My father was a track supervisor, and my mother worked as a general helper at the Penang Turf Club,” Arumugam told Buletin Mutiara in an interview.
“It’s very sad for me, and for many others involved in the sport, that the club is shutting down after all these years. But I can’t blame the management – the club is losing money.
“I just hope JB Kaingeh can gallop to a memorable victory tomorrow,” said Arumugam, one of only two remaining trainers in Penang.
Boony Ng, the other trainer, will be watching closely as his horses, Bleu Marine (ridden by F. Yap in Race 3 – Jockey Club of Turkiye Trophy, Special Class 4 – 1,400m) and Big Monkey (ridden by S. Saddam in Race 5 – Penang Turf Club Memorial Trophy, Special Cosmo C – 1,100m), take to the track.
Arumugam’s journey in the industry began after he completed Form Three. He worked as a golf caddy for a while before becoming a syce under KM Noordin, grooming, feeding, and saddling horses, as well as cleaning stables.
He later became a supervisor to Richard Lines for six years, then served as an assistant trainer under K.C. Tiang, Jerome Tan, and T. Asogan over a span of 12 years. For the past two and a half years, he has held a trainer’s licence in his own right.
While assisting Jerome Tan in 2018, he cared for as many as 20 horses. Throughout his career under various trainers, Arumugam has been involved in 50 winning races. As a trainer, he has saddled 10 winners, six in 2023 and four in 2024.
He is also known for his knack for transforming horses that others had given up on into race contenders.
Although he has yet to claim any major titles, he takes pride in Big Doctor, one of his favourites, who found success in several top-class races.
As horse owners began relocating their stables to Kuala Lumpur, the downturn in the industry hit Arumugam hard. By the end of December last year, he was forced to let go of 12 workers. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to owner Albert Ow, who supported him up until last month.
Now, with the curtain coming down on the iconic Penang Turf Club, Arumugam is considering seeking greener pastures.
“I’ve been involved in horse racing for 31 years. With two children, aged 14 and 7, I now need to find a new job,” he said.
“I may head to the Perak Turf Club, but it won’t be easy starting from scratch in Ipoh.”
With the Penang Turf Club’s closure, only two turf clubs remain in Malaysia: the Perak Turf Club (established in 1886) and the Selangor Turf Club (founded in 1896).
For now, Arumugam is keeping his fingers crossed for a strong finish from JB Kaingeh, hoping to lift the current gloom that hangs over Batu Gantong.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by K.H. Ong and courtesy of P. Arumugam