Banker’s Dream hits sub-minute in KL trial win

It was speed and front-running tactics at the trials which took place at the Selangor Turf Club on the morning of Feb 10.

Four hit-outs were conducted – all on the turf track at Sungai Besi – and in all four, the winners were the ones first out and home first.

On top of that, the times returned by the winners were also all commendable.

Banker’s Dream broke the minute mark (59.27sec) when taking the opening contest while Defoe, Red Warrior and Mega Ace all ran out the 1,000m trip in slightly less than 61 seconds.

From Johnny Lim’s yard, Banker’s Dream, a four-year-old son of Alabama Express, was first out of the innermost gate and he was never headed.

Up in the saddle, apprentice jockey Farhan Ghazali was given a sedan chair ride.

Even when challenged by Pacific Pery (Uzair Sharudin) over the final furlong, Banker’s Dream just kept on lifting the tempo, to keep the runner-up at bay by one length.

Still yet to have his first race start in Malaysia, Banker’s Dream came over from Australia after having eight starts in Victoria where he raced as Deccan Odyssey, a one-time runner-up in a 1,200m race at Cranbourne.

The trial on Feb 10 was the first time Malaysian racegoers had got a glimpse of Lim’s runner. Chances are, if he lives up to his trial form, they might soon see him under the winner’s arch.

That could come as early as Feb 15 when he is down to contest the Class 4 (B) sprint over the 1,150m.

Pacific Pery also equipped himself well enough to warrant a spot in that list of “horses to follow”, considering it was his first trial in Malaysia.

Now, here is a horse who certainly knows his way to the winner’s enclosure.

Racing as Super Trooper in Victoria, Australia, the Santos four-year-old won three races – the last one coming in July 2025 in a race over 1,400m. His other victories were in races over 1,300m and 1,454m.

Champion trainer Jason Ong seems to have another good “Pacific” in the barn. He trialled with blinkers and he did really well.

Defoe (Zulhilmi Mazuki), who took the second trial in 1min 0.5sec, is another speedster going places. However, he will have to wait a while longer before he faces the starter in a race.

Trained by Frank Maynard, the one-time winner by Akeed Mofeed was at the trials by order of the club’s veterinary staff after he bled when finishing second in a trial on Aug 19, 2025.

Even if he won this latest trial, it will not matter much as he failed the test, having returned with respiratory distress. He will now have to wait a while longer for his first start in 2026.

Same too with runner-up Terms Of Reference (Ikram Jamaludin). The 13-year-old veteran by Per Incanto returned lame off-fore and will have to wait another day before he gets into a race to try and add to his record of 15 wins.

As for third-placed Pacific Bao Bei (Uzair), he looked hopelessly jammed up in traffic, seven lengths off at the top of the straight, but the Sea Of Stars seven-year-old lengthened strides once in the clear to make up around five lengths at the finish line.

It was an admirable effort from the three-time winner who showed a return to form on Jan 17 when second to Northern Star in a race over the mile.

In the final trial of the morning, Mega Ace (Benny Woodworth) fought out the finish with Pacific Spirit and came up tops when winning in a smart time of 1min 0.44sec, with quite a bit still left in the tank.

In his short career, which has seen him face the starter in just four races, Mega Ace has made a name for himself.

Indeed, when the Earthlight three-year-old next goes to the races, he will be shooting for four wins in a row – and he might just get the job done.

Prepared by Simon Dunderdale, Mega Ace looks sufficiently tight and topped up for a fourth win.

brian@sph.com.sg