RICHARD LIM GETS BUSY AT TRIALS AS KL DEBUT NEARS

Ex-Kranji trainer's Songgong Hera, Faithful Leader impress as they finish 1-2 on Dec 10

- Brian Miller

Horses showing their mettle at barrier trials are clear signs that Kranji trainer Richard Lim is close to his Kuala Lumpur debut.

The jockey-turned trainer, who only recently moved house and horse to the Malaysian capital after finishing in fourth spot on 34 winners on the Singapore log when racing shut down at Kranji on Oct 5, had two runners entered for the trials at Sungai Besi on Dec 10.

And, true to form, he flexed his muscles, as did his gallopers.

Running in the first of six trials held that morning, Songgong Hera took the honours, beating stablemate Faithful Leader in a tight finish which could have gone either way.

As it turned out, Songgong Hera got the edge by a nose, clocking 1min 01.52sec for the 1,000m on a track which threw up quite a bit of sod.

Ridden by Ruzaini Supien, Songgong Hera, a three-time winner at Kranji, took the lead on settling and, with Faithful Leader (Mohd Lukman) at his withers, the pair were always going too well for the rest.

Going hell for leather, they matched strides over the final furlong with Songgong Hera hanging on to hold Faithful Leader off.

The Spirit Of Boom eight-year-old had a relatively quiet 2024. Indeed, he raced just twice, winning once on Jan 14.