Boy Xander has the X-factor

Trainer Jason Lim avoids exposing his six-year-old son Alexander to the “tough job” he does, but allowed for an exception on Saturday night when he returned home from the races.

It was a valid reason no father could have resisted.

Boy Xander, the horse named after Lim’s only child, won his second race at just his third start – and boy, did he send his rivals reeling in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 2 race over the Polytrack 1,100m.

Lim told his wife Ivy the good news first. When finally told, little Xander dashed straight to the TV to watch the replay of the two-length stroll easing down.

“When I got home, the first thing I did was tell my wife Boy Xander won,” said Lim.

“She was so happy as she has always told me if I name one horse after our son, that horse had better be good. When the horse couldn’t race for one year, she kept asking me why, so some pressure off here.

“We then told Xander about the win. My son does not follow racing, but he obviously has a soft spot for Boy Xander.

“When he saw the race, he told me: ‘Wah, Papa, the horse was so far in front when he won!’. That made all of us smile.”

It was more of a frown than a smile on Lim’s face in the early days, though. 

The young Singaporean handler was starting to wonder how he would dodge his wife’s wrath after the son of Shamexpress showed he was more “escape artist” than racehorse.

“When he first came to my stable, he was still a colt, and used to climb all over his box because he was left alone,” said Lim.

“He’s got this bad boy character, but he can definitely get the job done. I kind of like such bad boys, and they also remind me of my son, hence the name. 

“The horse is much better as he gets older. He’s okay as he’s also got horses beside him most of the time, so it’s all good. 

“We also gelded him, and he has surprisingly been very professional since.”

That professionalism shone at a winning debut in a Restricted Maiden race in February last year, even if the rough edges were not completely smoothened. 

“He used to have some barrier problems. First-up, he won even after his back legs kicked the barriers and he sustained a fracture to his legs,” said Lim.

“That was why he was rested for one year, but I’ve always had a high opinion of this horse. 

“He’s a very cheeky horse, he’s got a bit of a character. But on the track he’s very focused – just like my son.”

Boy Xander was still his own worst enemy, but having three-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes joining the frontline would slowly help win the war.

“He was again fidgety and was leaning against one side of the barriers at his comeback race,” said Lim. 

“Nunes then had to use him up to go forward, and he got flattened out later – the 1,000m was also a bit too sharp, he was a bit ‘blur’.

“We gave him some more barrier education. There was a bit of caution about how he would go on Saturday, even if we knew he has improved.

“But he won well for Nunes, it was much easier than we thought. Hopefully, he’ll get better with more racing.”

The trainer has not wasted any time in assigning another race to a horse who once climbed walls, but now looks all poised to climb the ratings.

“The horse pulled up so well that I’ve already found a race for him next week, a Class 4 over 1,100m. Nunes will stay on, of course,” said Lim