Watch for Tiang’s duo in Class 2 race

After the Merdeka Cup meeting on Aug 30, both the Banker’s Stable and trainer Tiang Kim Choi came away with big smiles.

The emerging Singaporean outfit bagged four wins on the day, including the Merdeka Cup courtesy of Banker’s Honor, while Tiang – who trains some of their useful horses – went home with one winner when Banker’s First romped in to land the Supreme A race (1,400m).

Both are not resting on their laurels.

Tiang and several of the “Bankers” who have been entered for the Sept 5 meeting were, on the morning of Sept 1, busy suiting up for the action ahead.

On a training track which was rated “good”, Come On Banker’s tossed in a stylish gallop when sent out for work with stablemate, Defeater.

The pair matched strides over the 600m, but eventually, Come On Banker’s clocked 35.5sec for the sharp sprint, but Defeater crossed the line 0.4sec slower.

They will again eyeball each other in the Class 2 race (1,200m) and, on form, it could be a Tiang stable queue-up.

Between them, Defeater has the slight edge being a last-start winner, and he also carries a light weight of 53kg.

But that last-start win in a Class 4B event (1,200m) on June 28 would have earned him a promotion to Class 3.

It is a place where he has never been before, let alone the higher Class 2 level.

The son of Unite And Conquer will have to be at the top of his game if he is to beat the rest, including Come On Banker’s.

It is a tough ask, especially since Come On Banker’s will be eager to get on the winning side at his third start in Malaysia.

On the strength of his last outing in a similar Class 2 contest on Aug 16 which saw him beaten into second by Fright over the 1,200m, Come On Banker’s could be ready to cash in.

The drop in class could be what the American Pharoah five-year-old had been waiting for and, on his Australian record, the 1,200m looks ideal.

Flashback to his days Down Under and you will see that he won three races over the sprints when known as Pharoahzano.

Come On Banker’s enjoys finishing off his races in a flourish. So, watch for a late burst from the gelding.

The main event on the day, the New Zealand Board (NZB) Open Championship, will see Malaysia’s best lining up to do battle over 1,400m.

Platinum Emperor, with a rating of 115, will lead the field out.

Then there is Antipodean at 114 rating points and Lucky Magic, who sits on 108.

But they are not unbeatable, and one runner who could make them go a-gallop could be Duma.

From Frank Maynard’s yard, the son of Too Darn Hot worked in great heart when running the 600m in 36.6sec. That was after some serious cantering to loosen up those muscles.

A five-year-old New Zealand-bred, Duma was a good thing beaten when finishing second to Elite Prince in that Class 2 dash (1,100m) on Aug 22.

The RC Stable-owned galloper is better than that, but he will have to be at the top of his game to take on and beat the “stars”.

But Maynard is on a decent run. The 2006 Malaysia champion trainer pulled off a win with Star Express on Aug 22, and they would have celebrated when newcomer Victory Storm grabbed the honours on Aug 30.

On his rating of 68, Duma will be overshadowed by the big guns with their three-figure ratings. But he is a horse in form, so it could pay to watch him.

Elsewhere on the 12-event programme, pay special attention to the Richard Lines-trained Ironclad.

He worked on a tight rein to clock 40.6sec for the 600m.

At 11 years old, he is one of the oldest horses still active at Sungai Besi but he can still raise a pretty good gallop.

The son of Akeed Mofeed silenced his doubters on Aug 9 when in a Class 5A race (1,275m), he came from out of nowhere to beat Moshimoshi by a short head.

He was the late jockey Khaw Choon Kit’s last winner. Three races later, the jockey took a fall from Team Work and died in hospital on Aug 17.

Jose de Souza, who worked Ironclad on Sept 1, will probably retain the mount on Sept 5 and a win will be a good way to remember Khaw and that last victory.

brian@sph.com.sg