By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
He may be the youngest trainer based at Kranji, but Jason Ong – who saddles the exciting Blazing Kid in the last race on Sunday – has done the hard yards.
While he is currently tied with Michael Clements on the trainers’ premiership on 19 winners (but sits third on a countback for seconds), with an extremely healthy strike rate of 13.97%, the success was years in the making.
The young trainer, who turns 34 next Wednesday, made a big decision back in 2011 to follow his passion and move from a very comfortable life in Singapore to study Horse Business Management in Geelong, Australia.
His aim was to eventually train in his own right in Singapore, but Ong stayed on in Australia to ride trackwork and learn from some of the best in the training business in Peter Moody (of Black Caviar fame) and the well-travelled and respected John Sadler.
With some invaluable experience under his belt, Ong moved back to Singapore to join one of the biggest operations in Singapore at the time – Mark Walker’s Stable – as a senior track rider and stable supervisor.
A twist of fate – namely a change of stables for a very good horse owned by Ong’s father in War Affair – had Ong take his trackwork saddle elsewhere, firstly to the Alwin Tan stable before joining Bruce Marsh, whose operation he took over in 2019 when the affable Kiwi handler retired.
“It was a huge learning curve taking up a stable in my own right,” explained Ong.
“I had mostly older horses when I started who had found their rating mark, so winners were always going to be hard to find early.
“But I was learning every day and hopefully new, younger horses in the stable would bring more success.”
Ong trained seven winners at a winning strike rate of 7.45% in his shortened first season behind the wheel, before leading in 18 winners in his first full year (2020) at a strike rate of 6.87%.
But while Ong wasn’t setting the training world on fire, he had faith in his operation – especially his staff and mentors – and in 2021, Ong finished eighth on the trainers’ premiership with a good haul of 26 winners at 8.5%.
“I’m very hands-on in my operation, but I have very good staff – from the grooms to the track riders – and they deserve the credit,” continued Ong.
“I’m also very fortunate to have trainers like Lee Freedman (now based in Australia) and Daniel Meagher to bounce idea’s off and (jockey) TH (Teck Huat) Koh and Danny Beasley are also a great help with daily feedback.”
So, can Blazing Kid in Sunday’s $50,000 Class 4 over 1200m add to Ong’s 2022 total and keep up the stable’s winning momentum?
“I think he will show his best,” explained Ong.
“Nothing went right for him at his last start in the Novice (race).
“The start was delayed – he didn’t like that and blew the start – and a few other things weren’t ideal in running and he also pulled up a bit tight in the morning.
“He has trialled very well since and while he is being tested in open company, he has a lightweight (51.5kgs), a fair draw and he should run a very forward race.”
And his best could be very good considering the Swiss Ace four-year-old blitzed his rivals when breaking his maiden status over 1200m on the turf in March.
Yes, the official margin was “only” 2.3 lengths, but given jockey Oscar Chavez had put the handbrake on over the last 150m or so, he could have won by 8 lengths.
He didn’t beat much on that day but from a wide gate, the lightly raced New Zealand-bred gelding had the race well and truly wrapped up early, so the potential to be better than Class 4 company was there for all to see.
Elsewhere on the card, Ong will saddle another promising young horse in Open company for the first time in Song Of Nature in Race 9 on the card, a $50,000 Class 4 race over 2000m.
“He’s a very mature horse for his age and has always given us the impression that he will get a trip,” said Ong.
“He showed promise at his first two starts and the form from his maiden win over the mile (where he beat Bingo Master) has been franked, so he should be up to the task.”
A brave move by any trainer to test a young horse over 2000m at just his fourth career start, but you feel a considered one from a young man who is always learning in a job he loves.
