Ong takes one step closer to 2nd gong

A five-timer may well have helped reigning Singapore champion trainer Jason Ong deliver the coup de grace in the current premiership title chase.

Already daylight ahead – 22 wins clear of Daniel Meagher – going into the Aug 25 Kranji meeting, Ong, now on 68 wins and 27 clear, has snuffed out any of his nearest chasers’ hopes of reeling him in.

From his usual big squad of 23 runners, Lucky Hero ($33), Free And Happy ($18), The Wild Fire ($121), Pacific Vampire ($13) and Surrey Hills ($23) emerged as the quintet to deliver the knock-out blow – even if, with six meetings left, mathematically, he is not home and hosed as yet.

As prudent as ever, Ong would still not pop the champagne – especially amid a celebratory mood already dampened by the sombre fact it would be a second and last gong as Singapore racing closes down on Oct 5.

But, as opposed to the 2023 season when his two-way battle with Tim Fitzsimmons was a lot closer, the 36-year-old did acknowledge that the wider buffer he has given himself would be almost impossible for his rivals to bridge now.

“I thought I had a good book today. It could have been six but Lucky Goal, whom I expected to win, got beat, but he still ran a good second,” said Ong, who was at his third career five-timer.

“On the other hand, I didn’t expect The Wild Fire to win. But I think he appreciated the give in the grass track.

“I’m not over the line yet, but I’m definitely in a good position. It’s not just me, there is a whole team behind who put in a lot of hard work.

“Like the farriers who get my 20-odd runners ready every week. I have to give credit to the club farriers Paul Summers and Gary Morley for the great job they do.

“The staff have also worked hard, like Jerlyn (Seow) who rides our horses every morning.”

Like master, like pupil. Ong’s apprentice jockey is all set to retain her 2023 title after booting home a double that stretched her lead to 11 winners in the 2024 premiership.

Sitting on top on 16 wins, Seow is, for all intents and purposes, beyond reach. The next in line, Jamil Sarwi (five wins) is disqualified for one year and is already out of the race.

The first leg of the double, Lucky Hero, came for her master in the first race while the second win on Big Return ($56) came for trainer Jerome Tan.

Ong, whose 2024 tally of 68 wins has already passed that of 2023 (66 wins), was delighted with all five wins. But, if there was one he was particularly pleased with, it has to be Pacific Vampire’s (Bruno Queiroz) fourth Kranji win.

The runaway victory in the $100,000 Kranji Stakes A (1,200m) on Polytrack was another typical catch-me-if-you-can display from the speed merchant, but his first at the highest level.

An undercurrent of adverse comments about Ong’s Sydney import had surfaced following his five successive defeats in the wake of his impressive two-from-two.

Either he was tagged as a flash in the pan or all the hype had been a touch hasty.

But Ong shrugged off those keyboard warriors, his faith in Pacific Vampire’s engine unrattled. He just went about finding a fix, found one – which was to return to basics – and has now been vindicated twice in a row.

To frank a Class 3 Division 2 win and go back-to-back by reverting to the same free-wheeling front-running tactics was one thing.

To go and beat superior horses like Ghalib (102 points) and Group 2 winner Ace Of Diamonds, albeit in a field whittled down to only five after two scratchings, is another.

“I was definitely confident he could beat better horses today,” said Ong.

“That’s because I got him in the right way, I gave him a good conditioning. He had a really good prep going into this race.

“Plus, his form on the Polytrack is a lot more genuine. He’s a lot more comfortable on the Poly.

“Like I said before, we took a while to get him to stay, but we’ve realised he’s just a sprinter. We don’t really want to take the speed out of him.

“Today, he had a good draw (four) and we knew he’d get that soft lead. Krisna’s (Thangamani) horse (Asif) came and kept us honest, but because of the way I conditioned him, he didn’t stop and kept going.

“The most important part was to see that turn of foot.”

Ong will determine how Pacific Vampire pulls up before plotting the next path, but his legion of fans have definitely not seen the last of him at Kranji.

“There’s a good sprinting race on Singapore Gold Cup day (Oct 5), a Class 2 over 1,200m,” said Ong.

“He may have one more run before but we’ll have to see how he pulls up first.”

 

manyan@sph.com.sg