Ong's First and Last Stab at Penang Races

Leading KL trainer counting on Pacific Vampire at final Batu Gantong race day

- Michael Lee

Jason Ong will have his first runners in Penang on May 31, but they will also be his last.

That new milestone for the two-time Singapore champion trainer begins and ends so quickly, simply because the Penang Turf Club will be staging its last meeting in 162 years of existence on that day.

Low turnover and attendances have forced the second of the original four Malayan Racing Association clubs to close doors after the Singapore Turf Club on Oct 5.

Ong, who has never set foot at the Batu Gantong track but did visit Penang as the typical Singaporean tourist in search of its famous street food, said he could not possibly let this last chance of saddling a runner there go begging.

"I've been to Penang but not its races. It'll be nice to be there," said Ong. "There's nothing to celebrate, obviously, but I can now say I had a runner there before it closes."