KUALA LUMPUR: February 16, 2025

It’s lucky eight for Singapore trainer Jerome Tan who is returning to the circuit where he started off his racing career.

Tan trained for 10 years at his Penang base before he was granted stables by the Singapore Turf Club in 2019. He finished eighth in the table with 22 winners last year before racing comes to a halt at Kranji. Quite naturally, he returns to Malaysia to continue his career, but this time based at Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur.

Baby Twins, who won once in 24 starts for Tan in Singapore, is the trainer’s eighth runner in his comeback and making his first appearance in Malaysia.

Ridden by Shafiq Mat Rusof, surged to the front after travelling about 150m. Friend Of Honor had jumped best and set the early pace in the Class 4B – 1150m sprint on the No. 2 track at Sungai Besi today.

The race was run in the rain but Baby Twins took it like duck to water to go further and further ahead as the race progressed.

The English gelding by Mondialiste ended up 5-3/4 lengths clear of the even-money favourite Thunder Star in second place.

Baby Twins had a win and a third in three outings as a juvenile in England but after showing early promises, was disappointing in the second half of last year. He had a win and seven placings in 2023 and early 2024. The switch to Malaysia has clearly worked. 

“It’s good to have a winner in Malaysia again,” said Tan simply.

Shafiq, however, offered more: “The horse was fresh.”

“I galloped him (Baby Twins) last Tuesday. He trained well but went like a one-pace horse.

“But I was confident that he would run on well especially on the No. 2 track. He went like a machine today.”

Tan started out as a syce with Penang trainer Cecil Robert in 1998, working his way up to reach the position of stable supervisor.

In 2005, Tan obtained his assistant trainer’s licence and joined ex-Kranji trainer Tan Hor Khoon, before transferring to another former Kranji trainer Lionel Lee. Tan then switched to trainer Roslan Pawanteh for a few months before he was granted a trainer’s licence on June 23, 2009.

Based in Penang for 10 years, he saddled 190 winners, with his highest acclaim coming in the Perak Derby with Mr Ambassador in 2012.