ONG TAKES ONE STEP CLOSER TO 2ND GONG

Five-timer has put S'pore champion trainer all but beyond reach in bid to retain title

- Michael Lee

A five-timer may well have helped reigning Singapore champion trainer Jason Ong deliver the coup de grace in the current premiership title chase.

Already daylight ahead - 22 wins clear of Daniel Meagher - going into the Aug 25 Kranji meeting, Ong, now on 68 wins and 27 clear, has snuffed out any of his nearest chasers' hopes of reeling him in.

From his usual big squad of 23 runners, Lucky Hero ($33), Free And Happy ($18), The Wild Fire ($121), Pacific Vampire ($13) and Surrey Hills ($23) emerged as the quintet to deliver the knock-out blow even if, with six meetings left, mathematically, he is not home and hosed as yet.

As prudent as ever, Ong would still not pop the champagne - especially amid a celebratory mood already dampened by the sombre fact it would be a second and last gong as Singapore racing closes down on Oct 5.

But, as opposed to the 2023 season when his two-way battle with Tim Fitzsimmons was a lot closer, the 36-year-old did acknowledge that the wider buffer he has given himself would be almost impossible for his rivals to bridge now.

"I thought I had a good book today. It could have been six but Lucky Goal, whom I expected to win, got beat, but he still ran a good second," said Ong, who was at his third career five-timer.