Double delight and Ipoh delights for Wayne Lim

Kuala Lumpur trainer Wayne Lim was again able to mix business and pleasure with happy results in Ipoh on Dec 14.

It was just last month that the 45-year-old trainer earned the highest accolade of his 12-year-long career, in the Perak capital with former Macau competitor Mega Gems handing him his maiden Group 1 win in the Coronation Cup (1,600m) on Nov 3.

On that red-letter day, he brought home a brace for good measure with Chosen One also getting on the board.

The bonus is the simple post-race celebrations with a home-cooked meal at his parents’ place in the Ipoh suburb of Jelapang.

That is one of the reasons Lim always looks forward to the two-hour road trip whenever the Perak Turf Club stages a meeting. Win, lose or draw, home will be where the heart is.

Since the Coronation Cup watershed moment, Lim seems to have kept up an even richer vein of form in Ipoh.

Bar the Nov 30 meeting when he had only one unplaced runner, he has hit the scoreline with doubles, repeating the feat at the latest raid with a similar haul.

Granted Aragon Pegasus’ ($25) win in a RM18,000 (S$5,500) Class 5B race (1,100m) and No More Delay’s ($12) in a RM35,500 Class 4A race (1,200m) do not hold a candle to a Coronation Cup win.

But such prolific visits – the Class 4A race was one of two races that came with a RM5,000 bonus cheque, a regular incentive presented by the Perak Turf Club of late – followed by an overnight stay at his parents’ make the long drive back the next day a lot easier.

Lim said there was no secret recipe for his handy strike rate in Ipoh, just clever placing of his horses.

“This week I sent up a bigger team in Ipoh, six compared to only one in KL,” he said. “It’s all part of the programming and it also depends on the races available.

“Sometimes, it’s easier to win in Ipoh, but not all the time. I got a double today and it’s also another nice trip back to my parents’ home.”

He said that both winners were expected to run well, even if Chosen One, who had turned into an Ipoh specialist with his recent three-in-a-row there, failed this time. The six-year-old was No More Delay’s stablemate in that Class 4A event.

“I did respect Brandenburg in the race, but No More Delay is a proven Class 4 galloper,” added Lim.

“At his last start, he ran a strong race in a Class 4 Division A (second to Brandenburg).

“I let the jockey (Lim Shung Uai) decide if the pace is too fast and he should take a sit behind the pacemaker. In the end, he led and it worked out well.

“On handicap, Chosen One was at a disadvantage as he was rising from Class 5 to Class 4 and he also drew a wide barrier (12).

“But I cannot judge him on this run alone. The jockey (Cheng Han Kok) was riding him for the first time as his regular partner AK (Aun Kean) Lim was suspended.

“The barrier (12) was against him, and he also likes a ‘water’ (rain-affected) track.”

In terms of personal satisfaction, Aragon Pegasus, an Argentinian-bred six-year-old by Fortify, probably gave him a better kick even if he won in an inferior race.

“Aragon Pegasus had a bad infection not long ago. He had diarrhoea, his weight dropped 30kg and he became weak,” said Lim.

“It took him a couple of months to turn right, which is why he didn’t do well during that time. The vets have done an amazing job, they gave him charcoal and antibiotics.

“A big thank you to the owner (Pegalan Stable) for his patience as well.

“This horse is not a champion but he’s a genuine Class 5 horse. Last year, before the infection, he ran second seven times.

“Today, he and the No. 2 horse (The Swan) had a close fight. It could have been anyone’s race, but he was just a bit better.

“I think the 1,100m is his best trip. He cannot go beyond 1,200m. He’s only a small horse around 420kg.”

Lim was back in time for the Sungai Besi meeting on Dec 15, but the Ipoh rub of the green did not stick around, although he saddled just the one solitary runner following two scratchings.

Long shot Mega Ocean (AK Lim) was up with the speed in the RM40,000 Supreme B race (1,400m) but faded to fifth place – more than seven lengths off the winner Revue ($12), who was bringing up a two-from-two and the third leg of a first winning treble for trainer Ricky Choi.

The former Macau handler was in only his fifth Malaysian meeting since his debut on Nov 17, having now already chalked up five winners from 19 starters.

manyan@sph.com.sg