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New Paper
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Ong's Mega Blaze sets trials on fire
Jason Ong probably has in his yard the most accomplished string of horses at Sungai Besi now, and we have seen winners being churned out like water from a tap. Good for the young Singaporean handler and his team, whose hard work is paying off. Yet, it would seem they are bent on keeping the winning momentum going as Ong showcased another good one at the trials, which were run off on the morning of June 24. A three-year-old son by Encryption, Mega Blaze has yet to face the starter, but he was a busy boy at the trials. To date, he has had four such hit-outs going back to March 25. The first three were average runs. One could tell he was finding his feet and getting accustomed to his new surroundings in Malaysia. However, that last one on Tuesday morning would have made his doubters sit up and take notice. Mega Blaze was in his element. Handled by Andre da Silva and having a starting stall test in the first trial, he jumped from the innermost gate and settled into the slipstream of Pacific Hero, who had Laercio de Souza in the saddle. After eyeballing Pacific Hero, Mega Blaze made his move 300m from home and eventually broke clear to win by ½ length. Silver Dragon (Akmazani Mazuki) was doing his best work late and finished with a flourish to take third - ½ length behind Pacific Hero. Mega Blaze worked home in a smart time of 1min 0.15sec. Owned by the Legacy Power Racing Stable, he might not have made his Malaysian debut yet, but he is not clueless in this business. Until coming over from Australia, Mega Blaze was known as Golden Racer and he plied his trade in and around Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. Then under the care of jockey-turned-trainer Danny Beasley - who rode in Singapore for 15 years and was known for his successful combination on Ong's classy War Affair - he had five starts and finished third on two occasions. Now, winning this latest trial does seem to suggest that the tutoring is about over, so watch out when Ong sends his youngster to the races. Mega Blaze could be off to a winning debut. From the same trial, keep an eye on another runner from his yard, Silver Dragon. The Time Test four-year-old ran third, but he made heaps of ground over the final furlong and that run was full of merit. A four-time winner from 19 starts in Singapore, he came over to Sungai Besi after an unplaced run at Kranji's final meeting on Oct 5, 2024, and has since finished third in two trials. Mark him down as a horse to follow. If the first trial was a fight to the finish, the second trial of the morning belonged to just one runner - Spicy Babe. A pacey mare from Lawson Moy's yard, Spicy Babe - previously known as Lim's Jinba in Singapore - has been winless in eight starts, albeit she did place twice at Kranji and finished second in her first race in Malaysia on Feb 9. At her latest trial on June 24, the Jukebox mare was untouchable over the concluding stages and took the chocolates by a healthy three lengths. She clocked an admirable time of 1:00.52 for the 1,000m. Moongate Hero (de Souza), the early leader, took second with Legend Sixty-Three (John Sundradas) having to settle for third. Now a four-year-old, Spicy Babe had her last start on March 23. It was a non-event and in pouring rain, she plodded home to finish fifth to The Wild Goal. Since that last run - where she was found to be lame off-hind - and the trial on June 24, she has had a 93-day break. Judging from her show at the trials, the break must have done her some good. Hopefully, she will be able to bring that form to the races. brian@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Malton filly has a bright future after passing latest test at Redcar Races
MALTON trainer Tim Easterby's two-year-olds are flying and he was clearly impressed after Bleep Test justified favouritism at Redcar today. 'She's got a lot of potential,' said the trainer after the Time Test filly stayed on strongly under David Allan to hold off Ollie Sangster's well-backed Lovethiswayagain and Jamie Spencer in the opening EBF Restricted Maiden Fillies' Stakes. The first two pulled well clear of the rest and both look nice fillies, with the winner running in the colours of the Reality Partnerships syndicate. Bleep Test had finished a promising second to Karl Burke's well-regarded Ali Shuffle on her debut at Redcar on April 7, and Easterby said: 'She's smart and tough. First time out she was very green and backward in her coat, but she's been working really well at home. She has lots of toe and I thought it was a good performance." Evergreen jockey Joe Fanning produced a trademark ride, dictating from the front, to land the Maiden Handicap on Cracksman filly Rommie The Miracle, trained at Middleham by Charlie Johnston. Johnston was narrowly denied a quick double when Mafting, trained by David O'Meara, kept pulling out more under Danny Tudhope to beat Burj Zabeel by a neck in the Watch Racing On Racing TV Restricted Maiden Stakes. O'Meara said: "He was still green in front and had a little wobble a furlong out. He's done nothing wrong up to now and might handle a bit more ease in the ground." The gelding had been runner-up in a Beverley novice and Hamilton maiden leading up to Redcar. Mafting, a son of Too Darned Hot, is owned by Gallop Racing, and syndicate representative Richard Walker explained that 'Mafting' is Yorkshire dialect for hot conditions. Mr Walker added: "He should have won at Hamilton – it was just one of those things and he got done on the line. He was a worthy favourite today and we thought we'd try it from the front. He toughed it out, but frontrunning probably didn't suit him." There was a front-running hat-trick when Jet Black, trained in Hampshire by Andrew Balding, ground it out to win the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Fillies' Handicap under PJ McDonald. "She's learning on the job and has actually won quite comfortably in the end. She would benefit from an extra couple of furlongs," said the winning rider after the Kodiac filly outstayed Luke Morris on Spirit of the Bay. Electric Avenue rocked down to the winning post to land the Join Racing TV Now Handicap under a fine ride from Tom Eaves. Ivan Furtado, who trains the winner for the Making Headway Racing syndicate, said: "Tom gave her a great ride from a tricky draw and there's more to come from her." It looked for a long way like the 10-year-old Poet's Dawn was in for an 11th career win to seal a double for Tim Easterby, but the veteran gelding couldn't hold off the winner's electric surge in the final furlong. It's been a good two days at Redcar for Malton yards and Ollie Pears kept the run going with Eighteen Fourteen, ridden by Cam Hardie, taking the Racing TV Profits Returned To Racing Handicap by a head from Due Respect. Martin Pearson, of the Crystal Clear Racing syndicate, said: "He's a talented horse but doesn't always show it!' The day ended with dairy farmer Rosie Howarth milking the applause after landing the Watch Race Replays On Racing TV Amateur Jockeys' Handicap on Monsieur Fantaisie for North Yorkshire trainer Roger Fell. The 5lbs claimer didn't have a clear run but swooped late to deny Olly Pears a double with Let's Go Hugo. Rosie, who was out milking cows on the family farm near Pickering on the morning of the race, said: "It didn't exactly go according to plan, but we got there!" The winning trainer added: "The more trouble this horse gets into the better chance you've got, and Rosie gave him a great ride. I was impressed."
