Lim set for a Happy weekend

Mirroring the sparkling form shown by his runners early in the 2026 Malaysian season, Singaporean trainer Johnny Lim Boon Thong took two of the three barrier trials at his home base of Kuala Lumpur on Jan 20.

From the get-go, his four horses in Trial 1 and 3 signalled their intentions they would not be out to enjoy a day out in the morning sunlight at Sungai Besi.

Whether it was Banker’s Natural and Banker’s Master – both from the emerging Banker’s Stable making up half of Lim’s string of 60 horses – in the opening hit-out or Mr Happy and Investor in the last one, the four Lim’s were all scrubbed up early by their riders in search of a prominent position.

Only Banker’s Master, a four-year-old newcomer by All American, could not muster enough speed to stay at the top of the queue, eventually easing off among the rear to beat two home.

But such was not the case for his stablemate Banker’s Natural who kept racing away from the chasing pack, clearly thriving on the positive riding tactics from apprentice jockey Farhan Ghazali.

Despite being an eight-year-old, the Medaglia d’Oro grey has not clocked up a lot of mileage under the hooves.

First known as Nozi Cyclone, he landed as a one-time winner at Cambridge (970m) from New Zealand back in 2021, but only had his first start for Lim three years later.

Even then, the sparingly-raced galloper had his runs spaced out. After a promising debut second in a Class 4A race (1,200m) at Kuala Lumpur on Nov 11, 2024, he was unsurprisingly backed down to prohibitive odds two weeks later, but could only run third.

On both occasions, his racing pattern of getting up on the speed was clearly established. But shortly afterwards, he was spelled for the entirety of the 2024 season.

He only re-emerged the following season, but again his outings were few and far between. Nonetheless, Banker’s Natural’s propensity to go forward had not been lost, even if he still could not find the line.

A bleeding attack at his last start in Sungai Besi when a distant last to Hasten after facing the breeze four wide, threw a spanner in the works and another long time in the cooler.

However, the dominant 3½-length barrier trial win in 1min 0.74sec on Jan 20 may suggest he has put his respiratory woes behind him, even if horses are never out of the woods when such issues crop up.

Lim’s second trial winner Mr Happy (Nuqman Rozi) was even more emphatic in his five-length romp, albeit in a slower time of 1min 1.47sec.

More tellingly, the son of Brutal has a lot more upside being only a three-year-old, and is already giving signs of radical transformation.

On debut in a Novice race (1,275m) in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 14, Mr Happy was all at sea at the rear and never made headway to beat one home.

Looking beyond the ordinary performance, that first start was probably the wind-opener he needed. In his trial on Jan 20, Mr Happy lived up to his name, clearly more in his element when ridden positive.

The Cat Racing Stable-owned gelding paired up with stablemate Investor (Farhan) throughout before bounding away once his rider gave him the cue to let down inside the last 300m.

All four triallers will be among Lim’s big squad racing over this weekend, and racing in the same rider-booking and pairing arrangements in two races on Jan 25.

Mr Happy and Investor head out earlier in the Restricted Maiden race (1,400m) slated as Race 7 while Banker’s Natural and Banker’s Master contest the Class 4A (1,200m) three events later.

If on-pace tactics are used as their blueprints come race day, their wide alleys may, however, pose a problem.

The two fields are not overly big, though, and if they can clear them early, Lim may well extend his smart 2026 debut. The fields are tough, though.

Eighth in the 2026 premiership on 26 wins, Lim has already chalked up two winners after three Kuala Lumpur meetings, from 32 starters, the largest team saddled after reigning champion Jason Ong (34).

The third trial on Jan 20 was won by Tommy Gun, who will also race on Jan 25, in Race 2, a Class 5A race over 1,020m.

The Flying Artie five-year-old boasts only one win in Malaysia, a career which has not franked the promise of his debut win at Kranji for 2022 Singapore champion trainer Tim Fitzsimmons.

The Australian has done relatively well since relocating to Bendigo following the end of Singapore racing in October 2024. Racing mainly on the provincial circuit in Victoria, he just notched his latest win with one of his ex-Singapore racers, Condor, at Wangaratta on Jan 18.

Still racing in the familiar yellow and red diamonds colours of Gold Stable, the previous two-time Kranji winner was bringing up his fourth Australian success, and was this time ridden by Sage Duric, four-time Singapore champion jockey Vlad’s daughter, who did her initial training at Kranji with Stephen Gray.

The latter is also charting a successful path in partnership with his father, back in his native New Zealand, teaming up often with Singapore’s last champion jockey, Brazil’s Bruno Queiroz.

manyan@sph.com.sg