Top local Ong right on song

A career-first four-timer on Saturday has further cemented Jason Ong as the dominant local trainer at Kranji this campaign.

Giving the feat even greater merit was the fact that three of the big haul came from horses the young Singaporean just got acquainted with.

A debutant, Surrey Hills ($12), and two recent stable transfers, Per Incrown ($40) and High Voltage ($35), and stable stalwart The Wild Prince ($60), were the quartet to vault Ong’s haul to 16 wins.

This catapulted him to fourth place in the premiership table, only three shy of leader Tim Fitzsimmons. Ong is seven wins clear of the next Singaporean, Desmond Koh (ninth).

In fact, he ties with Ricardo Le Grange and naturalised Singaporean Michael Clements, but he takes the fourth spot on countback for seconds.

Ong, who is at only his third full season since taking over from Bruce Marsh after the Kiwi returned home, was obviously rapt with the results. 

But there was also a different kind of glow about his smile.

“It’s great to train a double, but I’m even happier my parents and owners were here to take a winning photo for that special moment. Credit to the Singapore Turf Club,” he said.

Since the pandemic broke out in 2020, Singapore horse racing has gone on behind closed doors, with no public admitted, but with owners sporadically allowed in. 

The latest easing of restrictions saw a first batch of owners returning at Kranji last week to watch their horses race “live”.

New horses, new owners, and they have all caught Ong riding on the crest of a wave at the right time.

“My father has a share with a friend in Surrey Hills. The horse is named after a cafe the friend runs in Jurong,” said Ong, about the connections he knows better.

“The horse showed a lot of speed in a trial, he’s a straightforward speedy horse. 

“When I rang his New Zealand trainer Tim Carter, he said he was for sale. I met Tim through Lisa O’Shea (Stephen Gray’s assistant trainer), who used to work for him.

“I believe Surrey Hills is from the first crop of Sweynesse to race here. At the time, he was not a proven sire, but they are doing very well in Hong Kong now, like Lucky Sweynesse.

“Mine is still raw and there’s still room for improvement. There are no plans for him yet.

“I just want him to become more mature and improve on his racing manners. It won’t be long before he shows his true potential.”

Victorious jockey Oscar Chavez, who also rode Surrey Hills to his two winning barrier trials, could not agree more.

“We’ve always had a high opinion of him. Even if he still has issues, he’s green and looks everywhere,” said the Panama-born Singaporean.

“Barrier 11 was a bit of a concern, but he was quick to ping the gates. He ran relaxed but he shied away and looked around when he was alone in front in the straight.

“But he did very well and was good enough at his debut.”

Half the battle was won when the favourite was the best away and came across the face of the field onto the rails, two lengths clear.

Chavez then regulated his mount’s energy to a tee before going for broke upon straightening.

Though well clear, Surrey Hills looked all at sea. But he was able to fend off Dixit Dominus (Louis-Philippe Beuzelin) by 23/4 lengths away.

Another well-backed debutant, The Star (Manoel Nunes) just missed second place by a nose.
The winning time was 1min 6.11sec for the Polytrack 1,100m.

Playing it by ear was the way to go with his two other “newcomers”, even if Ong had an inkling the unknown quantities could run well.

“They have been working well, especially Per Incrown on Tuesday. I didn’t know him well, but on that piece of work, I thought he would win another one,” said Ong, of the last-start winner when prepared by Jerome Tan.

“I told the owners he could win again. TH Koh rode him very well even though they were caught wide. He put in a few fast sectionals by going forward.”

Rather low profile up to now, the Singaporean jockey is riding in career-best form this year. The Wild Prince brought up a treble, with Koh also having earlier won atop High Voltage.