Singapore’s reigning champion trainer Jason Ong Kong Yew and Jerome Tan are among the latest from the republic to join the training ranks in Malaysia following the closure of racing at Kranji.

Jason Ong, son of Ong Boon Hin of Warplan Racing Stable, first helped his father out in his business after serving his National Service, but grew to share his father’s passion for racing, deciding in 2011 to study a one-year course in Horse Business Management at Marcus Oldham College in Geelong, Australia.

Upon graduation, Ong worked as a track rider for trainers Peter Moody and John Sadler in Melbourne in 2012 and 2013 before returning to Singapore in 2013 to join New Zealand trainer Mark Walker, where the Warplan Racing Stable-owned Singapore champion galloper War Affair would kick-start his career, as a senior track rider and stable supervisor.

The following year, Ong and War Affair moved over to trainer Alwin Tan, where both enjoyed their highest accolades during a multiple-Group-winning spree that included five at Group 1 level with the 2015 Lion City Cup the career highlight.

In 2016, War Affair and Ong joined New Zealand trainer Bruce Marsh, where Ong became assistant trainer for the next three years, before officially being granted his trainer’s licence and taking over the former trainer Marsh’s string of horses in September 2019.

At 35, Ong became the youngest champion trainer in Singapore when he saddled 66 winners last year, and won his second title this year with an even better haul of 79 winners.

Ong has been granted stables by the Selangor Turf Club and his relocation was made official today.

He will train alongside David Kok, who saddled his first winner in Pacific Charm more than a week ago, and Jerome Tan.

For Tan, it’s a return to the country where it all started for the 57-year-old.

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 trainer Lionel Lee. He then switched to trainer Roslan Pawanteh for a few months before he was granted a trainer’s licence on June 23, 2009 and set up stables in Penang.

He saddled 190 winners from there, with his highest acclaim coming in the Perak Derby with Mr Ambassador in 2012. He then relocated to Singapore and officially began training at Kranji on 1 January 2019.

During his time at Kranji, Tan saddled 118 winners. His move back to Malaysia was made official last week.