Malaysian-born rider Shafiq Rusof continued his red-hot run of form when he guided handy stayer Nymph Monte to victory in Saturday's South Taranaki Club Egmont Cup (2100m) at Hawera.
Rusof returned to the Te Akau Racing team at Matamata earlier this year after riding for a number of seasons in Singapore for leading trainer Mark Walker.
He currently sits sixth on the Jockeys' premiership with 15 wins, two of those at Group One level on Te Akau stable star Melody Belle who dominated the first two days of the recent Hawke's Bay spring carnival.
Having his first ride on the Grant Nicholson trained Nymph Monte, Rusof gave his mount a lovely run in transit as he sat midfield on the rail behind a hot speed set by the early pacemakers.
Asked to move into the race at the 600m mark, Nymph Monte tracked race favourite Ladies First before dashing to the front with 300m to run. Rusof kept the Tavistock gelding up to the mark as he forged clear to win comfortably from Ladies First with Strolling Vagabond closing off well for third.
