3 minute read

Newly-licensed trainer Daniel Meagher might have come up short by one race to make a dream start, but he was still happy to get on board at his very first day at the office on Friday night.

Granted boxes at the Singapore Turf Club from April 1, the youngest son of former leading Kranji trainer John Meagher has been working hard to get his budding team of 25 horses off and running. That much-dreamed about moment of seeing his own horses (he was assistant-trainer to his dad for a long time during Meagher Snr’s 11 years at Kranji) head out to the track for the first time came on Friday through Sugartime Jazz and Lim’s Action.

Formerly trained by Brian Dean, and fleetingly by Sonny Yeoh, Sugartime Jazz, however, came within a whisker in Race 1 (see earlier report), but Meagher did not despair as he knew he still had one bullet left, and probably the better of his two chances, Lim’s Action, seven races later in the $38,000 Kranji Stakes D race over 1200m.

Punters seem to have been on the same page as they had confidently hammered the grey gelding by Any Suggestion who eventually went out as the $8 favourite.

Ridden by Danny Beasley, a jockey who has enjoyed a fruitful association with the Meaghers at Kranji, Lim's Action travelled in an ideal spot outside the lead three wide before going for broke in the home straight to pull away to what looked like a decisive break.

Lake Huka (Michael Rodd) and Jubilation (Syafiq Hazman) rocked up late as the last-minute party-poopers, but Lim’s Action did not let up and held sway to beat off the challenges, scoring by one length from Lake Huka with Jubilation third another two lengths away. The winning time was 1min 11.42secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.

Surrounded by his father John, wife, ex-Kranji jockey Sabrina Kadir and his staff, an overjoyed Meagher could have been left speechless, but the very first words he uttered were addressed to the Singapore Turf Club.

“I’m really happy with my first day, after Sugartime Jazz came close and then our best chance Lim’s Action won, it doesn’t get any better than that, but I have to first and foremost say thank you to the Singapore Turf Club for presenting me with this opportunity,” said the 31-year-old Australian trainer.

“I also have to thank all my staff from head to toe, from the farrier to the box cleaner. They’ve worked extremely hard in the last eight weeks and this is very rewarding.”

Meagher said Lim’s Action, fittingly raced by one of the Meaghers’ stalwart owners in the past, the Lim’s Stable, was a horse he did not know much about, just like the 15 horses who have had the polish of other trainers before moving to his yard, but he had done enough work with him to suss him out.

“My number one aim was to build up my horses and let them go through my system, especially the stable transfers. This one (Lim’s Action) is a hard-going type and is on the up,” he said.

“Steven (Burridge) sent him to me in good condition, and though he was not fully screwed down tonight, he’s done a good job and there’s more to come from him.”

Beasley’s voice betrayed his emotion as he dismounted. Lim’s Action may have won just a Friday night Kranji Stakes D race, but the win brought him back to the halcyon days of the Meagher era, which he helped play a part in with many winners himself.

“This has nothing to do with me. You should talk to Dan, it’s all down to him,” said Beasley.

“But it sure is special to win races for friends, and Dan has been a close friend for a lot of the years we spent together here in Singapore.

“He has prepared this horse in magnificent order and congratulations to him and his new team. I’m just privileged to have been part of this big first win for them.

“The winner himself is a big horse and I was always mindful to keep him balanced from the start and ride the track.

“He trialled very well the other day and all I had to do tonight was keep him happy.”

It sure was happiness all round with the Meaghers definitely back in town, and a first winner at the very first day the cherry on the top.

The last word of course goes to the one who brought the Meagher name to our shores.

“You have no idea how proud I am of Dan. He’s done everything by himself, I had no say in the way he began this and has run it,” said Meagher Snr, who still trains in partnership with elder son Chris in Brisbane.

"It’s all his own hard work and I wish him all the very best.”