Ong ready to step on the gas in KL

Since relocating to Selangor when racing shut down in Singapore on Oct 5, 2024, Jason Ong has tasted success twice.

It was at his ninth entry that the two-time Singapore champion trainer broke the duck with Pacific Victory romping home in a Class 3 (1,200m) on Dec 28. One week later, he doubled the dose at the same Sungai Besi track with Summer Wind in a Class 5A (1,020m) on Jan 4.

To be fair, Ong is only just getting started. To date, he has contested just a handful of races with horses who were only just getting used to their new surroundings.

That said, things can only get better and it could just start with the horses involved in the trials on Jan 14.

On the morning, and on a track rated yielding, Ong sent out a huge team of 19 horses – and the results were rather good.

From that lot, he saw two of his charges – The Wild Chief in Trial No. 5 and Sky Eight in Trial No. 7 – win their hit-outs while Major King and Silver Dragon finished third in the first and second trials respectively.

However, while we take nothing away from the winners, it was Major King who looked the most impressive when third behind the Simon Dunderdale-trained pair of Sacred Buddy and Thunderous.

Under a ride from Shafiq Rizuan, he held a spot off midfield for most of the trip and came into the picture only 100m from home.

Ridden out, he eventually came within a length of catching the Dunderdale duo. Yes, Major King was doing his best work late and the effort did impress.

Singapore racegoers will remember the son of Per Incanto from his exploits at Kranji.

In a career which saw him win five races, he raced in the company of the big guys like Lim’s Kosciuszko, Super Salute and the Pacific pair of Pacific Emperor and Pacific Vampire.

Major King’s wins were all over the sprint trips and they ranged from 1,000m to 1,200m.

If you are fretting over the fact that the six-year-old has been off the racing scene since Sept 21, 2024, well here is the thing.

Turn back the clock and you will see that Major King won on debut. That was way back on June 11, 2022, and what it tells us is that Major King does race well when “fresh”. So when Ong does send him to the races, you might want to throw the dice and take a chance with him.

Incidentally, in that same trial, Sacred Buddy’s winning time of 1min 1.81sec was the fastest of the morning. The Sacred Falls five-year-old, too, is in a good place right now and, like Major King, this former Desmond Koh-trained runner could make many friends after his Malaysian debut.

Back to Ong, and there was plenty to like about his first winner at the trials.

The Wild Chief claimed victory in his trial with some authority.

In the hands of Akmazani Mazuki, the son of Time Test came from dead last at the home turn to power home to a head win over Business Master.

The Wild Chief clocked a slow 1min 3.12sec for the trip. But there were excuses as it was the fifth trial of the morning and, by then, the yielding track had already taken a beating with loads of dirt thrown back on the runners in the rear.

Still, to power home under those conditions was admirable. So, ignore the time posted for the 1,000m and go on the fact that The Wild Chief was running on well.

A five-year-old, the last of his four wins came on the last day of Singapore racing – Oct 5, 2024. He has since been rested. Watch for him when he returns, especially if it is a race over the mile and beyond. He could be something else.

Then there was Sky Eight. He ended Ong’s morning on a winning note and it was a fighting win.

Another one ridden by Shafiq, Sky Eight was always up with the leading bunch, and at the furlong mark, when push came to shove, he fought doggedly with the David Kok-trained Pacific Prime.

In a heads up-heads down skirmish to the line, Sky Eight got the verdict by a nose.

A one-time winner from 33 starts at Kranji, this Irish-bred Cotai Glory six-year-old has yet to see action in Selangor.

When the 22-point rater does go to the races and, on the strength of his fighting win at the trials, he could be worth an assault on those exotic bets.

brian@sph.com.sg