3 minute read
Two-time Singapore champion trainer Jason Ong saddled his first winner since his relocation to Malaysia when Pacific Victory created a mild upset in the Class 3 – 1200m handicap at Sungai Besi today.
The Rubick gelding won three times in 12 starts for trainer Tan Kah Soon at Kranji but has now come under the wings of Ong who won the Singapore premiership last year and this year before racing ceases in the republic.
Pacific Victory was having his first start in Malaysia but the gelding had a familiar partner in Ong's stable apprentice Jerlyn Seow.
Seow won on the four-year-old's penultimate outing in Singapore last Sep 21 in a Class 4 – 1200m sprint. The partnership, however, finished 14th of 16 runners on the final day of racing at Kranji on Oct 5.
Pacific Victory did not have a particularly good trial last week which was probably why he went off at generous odds. Seow has also not ridden the horse in trackwork.
From barrier eight, Seow managed to get to the rails on settling down and led from last-start winner Boy Xander who kept him company on his outside. Fatal Attraction and Joker Nine Six followed next.
Boy Xander was half a length in front of Pacific Victory at the 600m and enjoyed a slight lead going into the straight. But Pacific Victory regained the lead at the 300m and from there kept up a relentless gallop to win by 1-1/4 lengths from Fatal Attaction who was the only one putting up a serious challenge in the final 200m. Boy Xander, though, held on for third.
"My instructions were to jump and sit wherever is comfortable as this is Pacific Victory's first start in Malaysia," said Seow.
"After the jump I tried to sit comfortable but I was caught deep. Then I saw nobody was keen to lead so I took my horse forward and be handy. The horse was matured enough to know what to do (stayed relax) and when I asked him for an effort, he responded well."
Pacific Stable, who has relocated the bulk of their horses to Malaysia, was rewarded with four winners in the final day of racing for 2024 at Sungai Besi. David Kok saddled three of the winners.
The Stable's afternoon started with Pacific Dream winning the first event (Class 5A – 1700m) before Pacific Bao Bei caused a boilover in the Class 4A – 1600m handicap.
Then came Pacific Victory's success before Pacific Angel snatched victory in dramatic fashion in the final event (Class 5A – 1150m) on the No. 2 track.
Pacific Angel, who has had four outings in the country, appeared well out of it even with 100m to go but stormed home and got up in the last stride to win by a short head from Lim's Faber, giving Singapore jockey Koh Teck Huat his first win in Malaysia.
"At first I was not used to the track and the pace but I am getting better and I will try to improve," said Koh on finally riding his first winner in the country after one and a half months,
"Pacific Angel just dropped to Class 5 so I thought he had a very good chance. The track (yielding going) and the (fast) pace was in his favour."
