KUALA LUMPUR: October 23, 2024

David Kok will be saddling his first runner in Malaysia much earlier than he had planned.

Eager owners have forced the hands of the Singapore Gold Cup-winning trainer and want to see their horses in action as soon as they are out of quarantine. Not the ideal preparation for Kok who won 33 races in Singapore this year before racing closed down for good in the island republic.

Kok will have five runners at Sungai Besi this weekend, three of whom he trained at Kranji – Pacific Dream, Pacific Spirit and Pacific Scout. Two others – Pacific Hero and Pacific Charm – were previously handled by champion trainer Jason Ong but have now come under Kok’s charge.

The highest rated of the lot is Pacific Hero, rated 54. The five-year-old by Exceed And Excel was sold for A$1,050,000 as a yearling but managed just one win in six runs in Australia before landing in Singapore for Michael Clements, later transferred to Ong. He has won just once in 23 starts in Singapore, leading all the way in a 1000m sprint on the polytrack last Feb 11.

Pacific Charm, who cost A$130,000 as a yearling, landed in Singapore unraced, winning five including four for Ong earlier this year. But the son of Maurice has been unplaced in 12 runs since his last win in a Class 4 – 1000m sprint on the polytrack last Apr 6. 

Pacific Dream is still a maiden after 22 outings in Singapore but was a good thing beaten last start when he lost ground after being crowded shortly after the start, then failed to obtain clear running in the straight before finishing second to Navy Seals over 2000m.

Pacific Scout, sold for A$115,000 as an unraced three-year-old, won two races for Kok this year – the same for Pacific Spirit, another expensive import who cost A$120,000 as an unraced two-year-old. 

Along with these horses, Singapore jockey Koh Teck Huat, 41, will also make his Malaysian debut this weekend.

Koh, who finished seventh in the 2024 table at Kranji with 16 wins, will ride Pacific Hero, Pacific Charm and Pacific Scout. He has also picked up several rides for other trainers.

Former Singapore apprentice Jerlyn Seow, now based here, will ride Pacific Dream and Pacific Spirit. Seow will be desperate to win on Pacific Dream after their near-miss last start.

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