Banker’s Glory ready to shine
Trainer Dunderdale’s Golden Crest and Friend Of Honor also turn in smart gallops
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Banker's Glory (Ruqman Rozi, red silks) finishing the best in the second trial at Sungai Besi on Dec 2, 2025. The Johnny Lim Boon Thong-trained gelding will line up in the Class 4A race (1,275m) on Feb 7.
Photo: SLTC
Brian Miller
Feb 3 Kuala Lumpur trackwork by Feb 7 entries Feb 3 Kuala Lumpur trackwork by Feb 8 entries
The action returns to Selangor on the weekend of Feb 7 and 8 with a bumper programme of 23 events to be contested by 283 horses.
As expected, with such a crop of thoroughbreds being prepared for the grind ahead, there was much activity on the training track on the morning of Feb 3.
Among them, a handful of horses who made the board at their last starts caught the eye.
Banker’s Glory was impressive on the training track rated “good”.
The Johnny Lim Boon Thong-trained four-year-old took it easy when running the 600m in 40sec. That was after a spot of cantering to loosen up.
A son of Puissance De Lune, he was a good thing beaten when second to Strong Dragon in a Class 4A event (1,200m) on Jan 11.
The maiden runner did not have the best of luck in the running.
Under Nuqman Rozi, he was obliged to race wide throughout and, to compound matters, he had to be eased back at the 800m.
Still, and to his credit, he finished just a neck behind the winner.
It was his fourth start and the Australian-bred is on the improve.
His stablemate and Class 3 galloper Emerald Lisi would have earned fans as he strode over over the 600m in a breezy 36.3sec under Harmeet Singh Gill.
At his last run on Jan 17, the Agnes Gold seven-year-old finished a smack-up fourth to Pacific Energy over the 1,200m. That, after being brushed by horses as he negotiated the home stretch.
The honest sort won a similar race over 1,300m on Oct 26, 2025.
He contests a similar race on Feb 7 and, currently a reserve in the big field, Lim will be keeping his fingers crossed that his runner gets a spot in the starting line-up.
Trainer Simon Dunderdale could control things in the Class 4B race (1,275m).
He has a couple of winnable horses in Golden Crest and Friend of Honor. In separate gallops over the 600m, they clocked 40sec and 38sec respectively.
Golden Crest has made the board in three of his six starts and he richly deserves a winning break.
Carrying support at his last start on Jan 25, the Denman five-year-old ran a good fourth to Gold Medal Rose. It came after he had finished third to that same horse on Jan 11.
A winner on at Murwillumbah in New South Wales on June 10, 2024, Golden Crest is long overdue for a win in Malaysia.
Friend Of Honor created a mild upset last time on Jan 24 when sent off as the $73 chance and beat the favourite, Banker’s Princess, in a Class 5A sprint (1,275m).
After getting off the mark, he rises to Class 4 level on Feb 7, and the Stratum Star five-year-old will carry only 54kg, which is in his favour.
Finally, Superb Winner turned in a sparkling workout when running the 600m in 39.7sec.
The Mahadi Taib-trained three-year-old, who finished third on his Malaysian debut on July 27, 2025, caught the attention of racegoers when winning by 20 lengths at his recent hit-out on Jan 27.
The son of Super Seth has been entered for the Open Maiden sprint (1,200m) on Feb 7 and, with just 54.5kg to carry, his Singaporean handler would be confident of Superb Winner pulling off a win at his second start in Malaysia.
