Fright set for Kuala Lumpur return after smashing Ipoh win

IPOH – Fright delivered a convincing victory at his first run for trainer Asogan Thangaraju in the RM35,000 (S$11,400) Cosmo C event (1,300m) in Ipoh on March 14.

But, soon after the son of Brazen Beau did that, connections decided to bring him back to Kuala Lumpur where he was based previously under the care of trainer Simon Dunderdale.

Placed in three of four runs at two and three in Australia, the four-year-old gelding impressed when he set foot on Sungai Besi in 2025, being unbeaten in his first three starts for Dunderdale and the Griffin Stable.

Following his second in a Class 3 contest (1,020m) on Oct 25, 2025, Fright headed to Ipoh for the first time to contest the Singapore Pools Trophy (1,200m) on Nov 16 and did well to finish third to Secret Wonder on a soft track.

Back at Sungai Besi, Fright was entered in another Singapore Pools Trophy (1,200m) race on Dec 7, and finished fourth behind the Jerome Tan-trained Big Union.

After two disappointing runs in January, his connections sent Fright to leading Ipoh trainer Asogan in February.

Yet, even before the Australian-bred had his first race for the former jockey-turned-trainer on March 14, a decision was already made to send him back to Kuala Lumpur.

“I’m happy he won at his first start for me, but it’s a pity it’s his last run for me too,” said Asogan.

“But I think it’s in his best interest for him to go back because there are more races in KL. There are just no suitable races for him in Ipoh.

“The owner brought 12 horses up to Ipoh and gave me three to train last month. Fright is the first one to race for me.

“We nominated him in a Class 3 race over 1,400m on Monday. But then the race was cancelled, and that’s when the owner said he wants to bring him back to KL.”

Due to insufficient entries for both the Class 3 (1,400m) event and the Cosmo C race (1,300m), the Perak Turf Club committee decided to combine the nominees and have them race in the Cosmo C contest (1,300m).

But Fright managed to leave his mark before getting on the float back to Kuala Lumpur.

Harmeet Singh Gill, who rode him in his last two races at Sungai Besi, was in the saddle again.

Although Fright set the pace and faded to finish sixth over 1,200m last start, he was never in danger of being caught this time.

Fright ($49) led from start to finish to win by three lengths from AI Rocket (Cheng Han Kok), who was denied his hat-trick.

Asogan was confident of Fright’s chances before the race.

“He (Fright) came to me without any issues. All I did was put blinkers on him (for the first time),” he said.

“I knew he could win the race because he trialled very well with the blinkers on.

“He will be on the float on Sunday and on his way to trainer Frank Maynard’s stable. I think one day he can win a cup too.”

Harmeet was pleased with his first win on board Fright.

“He was much sharper today than he was in the last two runs,” he said. “Also, he was meeting much weaker opponents this time.”

Asogan, who won 33 races in 2025, had earlier saddled Jewel Sixty-One ($12) to victory in the Class 5B race (1,200m), but had his third winner taken away from him in the stewards’ room.

Hello Brother, who beat Michikawa by a short head in the Class 5A (1,600m) handicap, was relegated to second after Kevin Coetzee, the trainer of Michikawa, lodged a protest for alleged interference in the final 200m.

With that, Coetzee capped his day with four winners: Sacred Sky ($15), Heavenly Warrior ($13), Snow Storm ($10) and Michikawa ($30). TURFONLINE