A winner of many big races as a jockey in his heyday, Leslie Khoo has found the same accolades somewhat elusive as a trainer, but keeps a silent hope he can remedy to that on Sunday.
Local racegoers who have been around a little longer certainly remember Khoo’s Singapore Derby win with Grand Illusion for his master Ivan Allan in 1988 or his two Queen Elizabeth II Cup wins with Sir Toby (1978) and Towkay (1982), both for Teh Choon Beng.
In Fastnet Dragon (see other report), Khoo may well hold the key to break the deadlock as a trainer, even if the son of Fastnet Rock himself has collected a string of seconds and thirds in Group events last year, none more frustrating than the biggest of them all, the Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup which he threw away in the shadows of the post when he did not maintain a straight course to the line, getting touched out late by Cooptado.
The amiable trainer does not dwell in the past. With an imposing tally of 335 winners in only nine seasons in Singapore since relocating from Ipoh, making him one of the more successful local trainers at Kranji, Khoo is not hard-up for that cherry on the top.
But from the twinkle in his eyes, it is clear the Katong boy will try to crack it for that big first whenever the right horse comes along.
Besides getting Fastnet Dragon ready for another bite at the cherry this year, starting with the race he twice won as a jockey, the QEII Cup on June 5, he saddles the aptly-named The Wind in this Sunday’s $350,000 Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) for what he hopes could bring a wind of change to his fortunes in feature events.
The New Zealand-bred son of Gorky Park has been around the mark for a while, but only dropped his maiden status in a modest Initiation race over the Classic distance at his eighth start on March 20, slaying his rivals, no doubt rather ordinary, by close to six lengths.
But from the way the late bloomer careered away with regular partner Benny Woodworth sitting up from a long way out, and they still stopped the clock at a pretty smart time of 1min 22.24secs for the 1400m on the Short Course, Khoo could afford to dream bigger.
“The Wind is in good shape and worked very well with Benny this morning. He went like the wind and I hope he can run like that on Sunday, too,” he joked.
“Obviously this is a big jump in class, but unlike some of the other three-year-olds in that race, he’s proven over 1400m.
“He won easing down at his last start and still ran a good time (1min 22.24secs). Benny did not want to punish him as he’s a young horse.
“He’s a galloper and he has to lead, but Alwin Tan’s first-Leg winner Conflight is also very quick. But he’s drawn to our outside, nine and we drew seven, which will become six if the EA (Bandido) who drew one doesn’t run.
“Benny will have to decide what to do depending on the way the race unfolds in the first 200m. I hope we can lead but then he’s got some classy three-year-olds to beat, not just Conflight in the first part of the race.
“The Short Course helps for sure, but whether he can go all the way is another story. It’s a Group 2 race and the stakes money is high. So, we had to give it a shot.
“I’ve had the owner Mr Teo Peng Seng supporting me for a very long time even as a jockey. I’ve won many races for them, though I can’t really remember the names of the horses anymore.
“Trend Defy won the Gold Cup (1998) for them but it was the late A John who rode him. It would be nice if that horse could win a big race for them on Sunday, and for me too!”
