3 days ago
The Wild Goal all set to score
Former Kranji trainers Jason Ong and Richard Lim may well have another two potential winners going on the barrier trials at Sungai Besi on June 4.
The current runaway leader in the trainers' premiership with 43 winners, Ong sent out The Wild Goal to take the opener while Storm Titan took the third for Lim, who sits sixth on 15 after saddling a treble on June 1.
Both impressed with their performances. The Wild Goal (Akmazani Mazuki), who beat Hypeman (Marc Lerner) by a length, would be remembered for breaking the minute mark for the 1,000m dash on grass. He stopped the clock at an impressive 59.82 seconds.
Not to be outdone, Storm Titan (Uzair Sharudin), though unable to come under the minute mark, did catch the eye with a five-length romp.
Here is how the scenes unfolded. In Trial No. 1, when the starter sent them off, the The Wild Goal scooted away and quickly put a length between himself and the chasing pack, led by the Simon Dunderdale-trained Hypeman, with the Sharee Hamilton-trained Sweet N Sour holding down third.
Keeping up a strong gallop, The Wild Goal refused to be intimidated by Hypeman and when push came to shove, he dug in to win by a length.
Formerly known as Lucky Goal when racing at Kranji where he won two races, The Wild Goal made himself known to Malaysian racing fans when winning a Class 4 (B) race over the 1,020m on March 23.
It was an Ong Stable queue-up with Outfit dropping in for second, some 4½ lengths away. While the margin was impressive, The Wild Goal has yet to put together another victory.
Indeed, the best the Shalaa four-year-old could do in four subsequent starts was a second-place finish behind Baby Twins on April 24.
But with Ong's stable churning out winners like water from a tap, we could see The Wild One salute sooner rather than later.
As for Storm Titan, that win was his third victory from as many barrier trials going back to May 14 when he won in a time of 1min 1.64sec.
He was at it again on May 27, beating Captain Pegasus by half a length while clocking 1:00.82.
And in that latest hit-out, the unraced Ace High three-year-old led from barrier to box, never allowing his rivals to get a look-in, stopping the clock at 1:00.68.
Yes, Storm Titan is getting better with every outing and, when Lim does send him to the races, he is going to be a treat to watch.
Then, and also from the morning of June 4, we had Big Business.
Schooled by Lim Boon Thong, Big Business was another big winner - coasting in by a massive six lengths in Trial No. 2.
Big Business - who was racing with blinkers - was never troubled. He cleared the chute easily and quickly got into stride.
The others tried to eat into his lead but he never allowed them to get within swishing distance of his tail.
He was unstoppable over the concluding stages and ran away from them to win in a time of 1:00.83 - easing up.
Big Business was down to make his grand debut on June 7, but for some medical reason, he will not start in the Open Maiden sprint for which he was nominated.
The Shalaa three-year-old was withdrawn on the advice of the club's veterinarians.
Watch for the day Lim decides he ticks all the boxes to be sent to the races. He seems to be working towards a decent debut.
In the last trial, which was run on sand, Kim Legend was all-conquering. Ridden by track rider Lukman Mohamed, the Nostradamus four-year-old came with a huge run over the last 200m to claim victory.
Until then, it appeared like Royal Commission (Nazir Aiman) had it signed, sealed and delivered.
But Kim Legend was not to be intimidated.
Having just his second trial at Sungai Besi, he swamped the leader to win going away.
Trained by Wayne Lim Woei Chet, Kim Legend has had two unplaced outings - one at Ipoh and one at Sungai Besi.
Both starts were held in Class 4A company, first over 1,300m before being stepped up to 1,400m.
Granted, he did not set the track ablaze, but on his brilliant trial form on June 4, he could be the real deal at his third start.
brian@
