Bankers’ fire power on show

June 23 Kuala Lumpur barrier trial results

The Banker’s vault is still bursting with riches, be it with its current powerful armada or new stock waiting in the wings.

Only two days after yet another win, this time from the now Selangor Mile-bound Banker’s Kingdom on June 21, the Sungai Besi barrier trials also came under their siege.

Presenting newcomers in all three hit-outs, the Singapore outfit took the last two with Banker’s Angel and Banker’s Bonus. Banker’s Dividend-Action Banker’s ran 2-3 to Ye Man in the first, though they could have made it a clean sweep had jockey Joe Kamaruddin ridden Banker’s Dividend out.

The quartet are with Banker’s No. 1 trainer, Johnny Lim, who will run the two victors in the Restricted Maiden (1,200m) on June 28.

“It’s hard for babies to win maidens first-up, but they’re educated and have gate speed,” said Lim.

While those four new recruits may well inflict even more pain to their rivals, Banker’s are no stranger to pain either. Their rapid venture into horse ownership was not an instant return on investment.

“They’re car dealers who owned horses with Leslie Khoo last time. They had Golden Eightyone, now Banker’s Eightyone,” said Lim, twice a Malaysia champion trainer.

“They wanted to support me when I applied for a licence in Singapore. But, when racing closed down there, they kept their word and sent horses to me in Malaysia.”

When their horses, easily identified by the giveaway Banker’s “first name”, first popped up on a race card in May 2025, they did not exactly set Malaysia ablaze.

But even if it took four months to break through, the red wave has been unstoppable since Banker’s Eightyone and Banker’s Princess got off the mark on Sept 14, 2025.

On 12 wins up to that point, Lim saw his 2025 score double to 26 by season’s end, 10 from Banker’s.

The writing was on the wall, the Malaysian racing landscape was undergoing a new power shift.

This season, at the halfway mark, Lim leads on 37 winners – one clear of Simon Dunderdale – 36 of them from Banker’s.

Third title talks may be too soon, but Lim is in a good headspace.

“It’s too early and it may be tight, but I’ve got a bit of an edge with the Banker’s horses even if they have not been fully pushed,” said the Singaporean trainer.

That shot in the arm also applies to trainer Tiang Kim Choi, Banker’s Kingdom’s handler. Seven of his 17 winners came from his team of 17 Banker’s Stable wards.

A Group 1 win is still elusive, but Banker’s Two Six has won the Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m) and Chinese New Year Prosperity Trophy (1,600m) in 2026.

“Banker’s Two Six was an unlucky second in the Group 1 Piala Emas Sultan Selangor,” said Lim.

manyan@sph.com.sg