Eruption rumbles on training track

By his lofty standards, it was an “okay” sort of opener to the 2026 racing season.

Trainer Simon Dunderdale pulled off a win and a second from 12 runners at Selangor’s 11-race meeting on Jan 3.

With a team of 14 – including one emergency acceptor – entered for the meeting on Jan 11, it could be wise to follow the man who finished second on the 2025 Malaysian trainers’ log on 64 winners.

On the morning of Jan 6 and on a track rated “good” – as opposed to the soggy conditions the day before – the 2024 Malaysian champion trainer’s Eruption showed good action in his preparatory workout at Sungai Besi.

Not out to break any records, he cleared the 600m in 41sec.

It was a no-frills training, but still a meaningful gallop.

A five-year-old by Xtravagant, Eruption has been one of the stars from the Buffalo Stable.

His record of six wins – of which two were at Kranji when he was under the care of Tim Fitzsimmons – from 24 starts speaks volumes of his ability and we know that he is not done yet.

There are more wins in that tight and taut frame of his and, come Jan 11, he could have the Supreme B race (1,500m) at his mercy.

Having won his last two races with metronome precision, Eruption is gunning for a hat-trick of victories. And there is little to suggest that he cannot get the job done.

But standing in his way is another galloper who matched Eruption’s good work on the training track.

He is Fortune Tree, and he is one of trainer Richard Lim’s racers who, on past showings and current form, should have a rewarding 2026 season.

Sent out for his morning gallop and partnered by Shafiq Rizuan, Fortune Tree disposed of the 600m in an easy 38sec.

It was a gallop full of enterprise and resolution and, as one of four last-start winners in the line-up, the son of Ardrossan could be the one who spoils Dunderdale’s party.

A four-year-old New Zealand-bred, Fortune Tree will be right at home over the 1,500m trip.

After his winning debut in a 1,275m Maiden race on Aug 9, he took out two more Class 3 races over the 1,200m and 1,300m, before his fourth and latest victory at his last start on Dec 21.

It was a Supreme A race over 1,400m and, ridden by Shafiq Rizuan, he came off second spot at the furlong mark to win going away.

His work does seem to suggest that he is holding that winning form.

Elsewhere on the 12-race programme, the Banker’s Stable could be looking at a profitable afternoon.

Represented by runners in nine of the 12 races, they were out in force on the training track where two – in particular – drew attention to their chances.

In separate gallops, the Johnny Lim Boon Thong-trained Banker’s Hero showed good action when running the 600m in 38.6sec while his stablemate, Banker’s Strong, was raring to go but was hard held to run out the trip in a flashy 36.7sec.

Down to contest the Class 4A race over the middle distance of 1,600m, Banker’s Hero had an inauspicious debut, finishing ninth in that Supreme C race won by Eruption on Dec 21.

In his defence, the son of Toronado raced wide for most of the 1,500m trip.

The four-year-old gelding is better than that. Previously known as Call Up King in Australia, he was, on June 2, a winner over the mile.

As for Banker’s Strong, he has been steadily working towards a winning show.

The Pride Of Dubai four-year-old galloper will be having his fifth start in the Class 4B race (1,600m), and he looms as a lively outsider.

To date and at his Selangor Turf Club home base, Banker’s Strong made the board behind runaway winner Elite Prince in a Class 4A sprint (1,200m) on Nov 30.

He will be better suited to the 1,600m he has to cover on Jan 11.

Like Banker’s Hero, he too was a winner in Australia when, known as Gulfstate, he took out a 1,450m race at Kilmore in Victoria on Feb 21.

Lim has picked a winnable sort of race for the bay entire who, on training form, could beef up those novelty bets.

brian@sph.com.sg