3 minute read
Local trainer Jason Lim has been new apprentice jockey Dennis Tan Zhi Xian’s biggest supporter, but at the same time his harshest critic whenever it is deserved.
Freshly-licensed this year, Tan, 27, who honed his craft with three-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker before transferring his indentures to Lim last year, has already had six rides in two meetings, all from his new master.
Lim, himself a sophomore trainer who only launched his training career last May, said he had time for Tan, even if the freshman is nowhere near the finished article.
Lim, who 16 years ago began from the very lowest rung of the ladder mucking out 40 boxes a day in Murrwillumbah in the backwaters of New South Wales to be where he is now, is trying to instill the same no-pain-no-gain spirit in the youngster.
"He's got the ability, but still has got a lot more to learn," said Lim, who started off as a track rider before graduating to the training ranks.
"I'm making him work hard. We watch a lot of races together, we go through the videos post-race and I point out the mistakes he made.
"For example, his ride on Golden Thunder on Saturday could have been better. He just missed out on third place.
"He used up too much of his own energy early and he was tired in the end. If he had held the horse better, he could have timed his run better.
"But he's still young and he listens. I have no doubt he will improve and I hope he rides his first winner soon."
To that effect, Lim, who racked up a decent haul of 13 winners at his rookie year, had no qualms in giving the greenhorn a leg-up on one of his better horses at the stable this Friday, Tesoro Privado, in the $85,000 Class 2 race over 1000m.
Though the Argentinian-bred five-year-old by Orpen has yet to oblige in three starts for Lim, the signs of progress on the training tracks are hard to ignore.
Partnered by Tan at a barrier trial on Thursday, the six-time winner (three for Ricardo Le Grange and three-from-three for Lee Freedman) ran out an impressive 1 ¾-length winner after box-seating the whole way.
"Tesoro Privado is a horse with ability, but we just need to get him in the right race. I'm still learning about him," said Lim who opened his 2020 account with debut winner You Qian Zhuan on Saturday.
"Last week, he won a nice trial and the plan was always to run him in that Class 2 race on Friday and then that Kranji Stakes B race over 1600m on the second day of Chinese New Year (January 26).
"Let's see how he runs this Friday. I'm hoping for a good run from him as he's been training really well.
"(Titanium Racing Stable owner) Jeffrey (Soh) sent me two horses, Tesoro Privado and Good Catch. Neither have won yet and it would be nice if Tesoro Privado is the one to do it this Friday."