Banker’s Happy to take aim at Selangor Mile after Trophy win

Trainer Johnny Lim will likely have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the four-year-old feature, the Selangor Mile (1,600m) in three months’ time, but he is, for now, happy to savour the moment after pulling off a double at Sungai Besi on April 12.

Both winners, Banker’s Happy and Banker’s Honor, are four-year-old gallopers, and that makes them eligible to contest in the richest race on Selangor Turf Club’s racing calendar worth RM1 million (S$320,000).

But Lim – who also has a handful of other talented four-year-olds from the Banker’s Stable that can run the mile, including Banker’s Smile, Banker’s Beautiful, Banker’s Victory, Banker’s Super and Banker’s Strong – clearly has different plans for them.

The Singaporean conditioner was very pleased with Banker’s Happy’s second consecutive win in the RM53,000 Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale Trophy 2026 (1,500m), a Class 3 race in Race 8, and plans to enter him in the Mile feature.

The son of Capitalist, who won twice in Australia when known as Full Metal Jacket, swept home easily by eight lengths when he opened his Malaysian account second-up in a Class 4A event (1,400m) on March 29.

Banker’s Happy was up in class this time, and only narrowly beat Storm Titan by a neck, but Lim said the mile will suit the big-striding individual.

“He was tiring in the end, but it was a stronger field and he was pressured during the early part of the race at the 800m and 600m,” said Lim, who also picked up one win with newcomer Banker’s Warrior ($22) in Kuala Lumpur on April 11.

“But he still hung on well. We didn’t want to change his running pattern, so he led. I must give credit to Johari (Kamaruddin) for the ride. He gave him a tactical ride and won the race in the end.

“With his good attitude and big strides, I think he can go up to the mile, so he’s one of the four-year-olds that I am considering for the Selangor Mile race. That’s a happy headache to have for another day.”

The Malaysian jockey, who also won atop Banker’s First ($58) for trainer Tiang Kim Choi earlier, took hold of the race by the scruff of the neck, with Red Dragonfly (Khaw Choon Kit) and Omakase (Lim Shung Uai) settling in second and third respectively.

With the Winson Cheng Han Yong-trained Storm Titan (Shafiq Rizuan) trying hard to sneak up on the rails and Red Dragonfly not going away on his outside, Banker’s Happy ($13) valiantly held on to the lead.

Just 100m from the post, Banker’s Happy was running on fumes, but he managed to fend off the closing Storm Titan. Red Dragonfly finished another neck away in third.

Stablemate Emerald Lisi (Nuqman Rozi) motored home late for fourth, while Lim’s third runner Banker’s Victory (Farhan Ghazali) finished in eighth.

The winning time for the 1,500m on the long course was 1min 28.4 sec.

Although the connections of the second-placed Storm Titan fired in a protest for alleged interference at the 200m, Lim was not at all concerned.

“The objection was dismissed quickly. He (Banker’s Happy) did not affect the other horse (Storm Titan) in any way,” he said.

“Well done to my team for looking after the horse well, and the owner also deserves this victory for all the time and investments he has poured into racing here.

“Emerald Lisi ran not bad, and for Banker’s Victory, he had a short break due to a light injury, but this run would top him up.”

Lim would like to nominate Banker’s Honor ($21), who claimed the RM50,000 Visit Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur – The Gardens Mall Stakes (2,000m) one race earlier, for other feature races at Sungai Besi.

The Ocean Park grey gelding last won by a neck in a Class 4A race (1,800m) on March 29, but handled his rise in grade with ease to score by 3¼ lengths from the Ooi Chin Chin-trained Strong White in the Supreme C contest.

“He was up in class too, from Class 4 to a Supreme C field, so he won very well,” said Lim.

“He’s definitely one of my staying contenders. There’s the Piala Emas at the end of the year and also the Coronation Cup in Ipoh. But, we have to see how the horse pulls up first.”

The Group 1 Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (2,000m) is held at Sungai Besi on Dec 6, while the Group 1 Coronation Cup (1,600m) will be run in Ipoh on Nov 15.

One day earlier on the April 11 meeting at Sungai Besi, Pacific Energy ($13) gained the verdict in the highlight event, the Visit Malaysia – Terengganu – Batu Burok Beach Stakes (1,200m).

Ridden by Jerlyn Seow Poh Hui, the David Kok-trained four-year-old finished a smack-up third in the Group 1 Tunku Gold Cup (1,200m) on March 29, and was carrying the top weight of 59kg in the field of nine.

But, the Super Seth gelding overcame his wide run to win by ¾ length from Banker’s Boss (Farhan), with Cheval Pegasus (Fikri Ismail) finishing another 2½ lengths away to take third.

Seow, who was on board the Pacific Stable-owned gelding at all his four wins in Malaysia, said there were challenges, but she overcame adversity in the end.

“He is a nice speedy horse with a very sensitive mouth, so you can’t hold him too much and must ride him with soft hands,” she said to Turfonline.

“The horse was drawn wide and I didn’t have much of a choice but to ride him with confidence as the best horse in the race. He won accordingly.”

sharonzhang@sph.com.sg