3 minute read
Game mare Himalaya Dragon bounced back to her gutsy best to hand trainer Tan Kah Soon his first 2018 win on Tuesday night.
Tan made a late start with a skeleton team shortly after he received his trainer’s licence last year in September, but still managed to make his mark, bagging three winners, including a Group 2 silverware with Clarton Super in the EW Barker Trophy (1400m).
Still in the process of building up his yard, the son of former Penang trainer Dr Tan Swee Hock was certainly pleased his “hand-me-downs” are still doing their part at this early stage of his budding career.
Among one of Tan’s stalwarts last year with five starts (which included two placings) under his polish, the former Sonny Yeoh-trained Himalaya Dragon finally repaid Tan’s patience with a very gallant win in the $80,000 Class 3 Division 1 race over 1100m.
Odds-on favourite Captain Jamie (Nooresh Juglall) looked home and hosed when he went for broke as he collared race-leader Lim’s Racer (Glen Boss) looking full of running shortly after rounding the home turn, but Himalaya Dragon ($31) was poking up as a major threat on the outside.
Captain Jamie put in all his might to not play second fiddle for the third time in a row, but Himalaya Dragon was in no mood for niceties to trainer Ricardo Le Grange’s sole runner for that inaugural Tuesday meeting. Stretching herself to the max, the Hidden Dragon seven-year-old pegged back her younger rival, lunging right on the line to gain the verdict by a short head.
Lim’s Racer ran third another 1 ¼ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 5.86secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
“I’d like to thank the owner (Chan Fook Ling) for his patience. The mare got a good ride from CC; it’s always about the timing, and they got there right on time,” said the former Godolphin assistant-trainer.
“She’s seven now and is still enjoying her racing. Full credit to Sonny for keeping her happy for so long.
“Alan (Munro) and Michael (Rodd) both told me she did not take the gaps too well. So I put winkers on and she was a lot better.
“We had two Class 3 races tonight and we picked up one, that’s great.”
Wong, who transferred his indentures from David Hill to Tan this year, was glad his season was gaining traction after a slow start. The 2015-2016 two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey opened his 2018 account aboard Great Seven on Sunday.
“I settled behind the pace and was just waiting for the last bit to make my move,” said the Penang-born jockey.
“Thank you to the trainer and the owners for putting me on this mare.”
Himalaya Dragon has now taken her record to five wins and 10 placings from 36 starts for prizemoney that has tipped over the $310,000 mark for her owner.
