Victory eases Ong into new KL set-up

From being half-hearted about the relocation to Kuala Lumpur at first, Singapore champion trainer Jason Ong is literally feeling at home away from home now.

That first winner – and 230th overall – over the weekend, Pacific Victory at Sungai Besi on Dec 28, has certainly helped wipe away any homesickness blues.

But, looking beyond the geographical location and the different barns, the 36-year-old revealed it was something else that made him feel like he had never left – the live inventory: Horses and staff.

From the 40-odd horses that sealed his second Singapore premiership title at Kranji’s farewell 2024 season to the riders, Jerlyn Seow, Koh Teck Huat and syces, Ong was in familiar territory.

For good measure, he will even have his A team at Chinese New Year time at the end of January.

“Bruno Queiroz will ride in Malaysia for the Chinese New Year meeting (Jan 31),” he said.

“He’s now back in Brazil. I’m sure he’ll enjoy coming up here and will come for more of such short-term visits later on in the year.”

Queiroz was crowned Singapore champion jockey in a two-way thriller with fellow Brazilian Manoel Nunes, denying the defending champion a sixth gong right at the death at that last meeting on Oct 5.

Ong’s solitary winner that day, The Wild Chief, was part of a four-timer that allowed the 23-year-old to wrest the crown from Nunes.

More pointedly, Ong and Queiroz have been a dominant force throughout 2024, combining for 21 winners, which is almost a quarter of Ong’s haul of 79 winners.

“It’s great Bruno’s back, but the backbone is still the first team, my syces, Jerlyn, TH Koh and Iskandar Rosman, who’ll have his first Malaysian rides tomorrow,” said Ong.

“I did say I’d only move if all the conditions are there to give it my best shot. Having my Kranji team and 95 per cent of my Kranji horses helps. Big thanks to my Kranji owners for still supporting me.”

Pacific Victory’s win in the Class 3 (1,200m) at Ong’s ninth try (from 10 starters, all Pacific-owned) in four Malaysian meetings did not replicate his fairy-tale Singapore debut when his very first runner Sothistheone won on Sept 20, 2019.

“It’s my first time away from Singapore where I had good facilities and a good track,” said Ong.

“Selangor Turf Club is also doing its best. All seem to be progressing very well, and I’m looking forward to this year with the increase in prize money and feature races.

“I can’t have many runners yet. My first batch of horses came out of quarantine in mid-November.

“I only had around 10, slowly stepped them up. That’s why I was very happy with my first winner.”

Despite the tentative start, Ong still had a silent hope for the Rubick four-year-old, one of many Pacific Stable horses in his barn, but who was at his first run for him.

At Kranji, Pacific Victory chalked up three wins and two seconds from 12 starts when trained by Tan Kah Soon, who has, unlike Ong, stopped training after the closure.

“This horse had joint issues and had surgery back home. Kah Soon has done a great job nursing him back to good health,” said Ong.

“He’s straightforward, was fit, and better than Class 4, I felt. Only the wide draw worried me, but I told Jerlyn to ride him positive.”

Ong saddles six runners at the first Malaysian 2025 meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 4, including a first “non-Pacific”, Summer Wind.

“TH Koh knows him well,” he said. “I was happy with his second trial. He has a good draw (2), but the distance is a bit short.

“He also needs to get used to a different track, but he’s well within himself.”

manyan@sph.com.sg