Placed in her last two starts, the 5YO mare looks ready for her first Malaysian win

Trainer Johnny Lim Boon Thong will be a busy man at Selangor Turf Club on Nov 30 with his team of "bankers" entered for the meeting.

And he could be looking to bank something from three of them.

On a drizzly morning on Nov 25 and with the track rated soft, Banker's Pretty, Banker's Strong and Banker's Pair Nine tossed in some nice workouts which did suggest that they will be forces to reckon with in their respective races.

Of the three, Banker's Pretty looked most becoming.

A muscled mare by Starspangledbanner, the five-year-old strode out freely on the training track, clocking 38.8sec for the 600m.

A two-time starter, she would have garnered some fans with her last-start effort in a Class 3 event (1,020m) on Nov 8.

That day, when ridden by 4kg claimer Farhan Ghazali, Banker's Pretty was a good thing beaten when slotting into second spot in that race won by the Tiang Kim Choi-trained Yes Man.

Carrying support and sent off as the fourth pick in that 12-horse line-up, the mare did not have things her way.

First, she was slow out of the gates from barrier 14. Then, she was obliged to race wide for most of the trip.

Still, and to her credit, she finished second – albeit beaten by four lengths.

Banker's Pretty  is on a winning curve.

Before landing in Malaysia, she won three races from nine starts in South Australia, where she was known as The Doll and trained by Philip Stokes.

On all three occasions and in races run over the 1,000m, 1,100m and 1,200m, she powered home to take the prize.

Banker's Pretty has to tackle the 1,400m in the Supreme B race on Nov 30. The extra distance could be just what she is looking for, and it should come as no surprise if the gutsy mare opens her account in Malaysia third-up.

As for Banker's Strong, who also ran the 600m in 38.8sec, he will have to toughen up for his assignment coming up.

A four-year-old entire by Pride Of Dubai, Banker's Strong was never in contention at his two starts in Class 4 level at Sungai Besi.

However, he did trial rather well when second to his stablemate, Banker's Pretty, on Oct 14.

Like Banker's Pretty, Banker's Strong had a decent racing career in Australia before coming to Kuala Lumpur.

Previously known as Gulfstate, he had eight starts in tracks around the state of Victoria and won a 1,450m race at Kilmore on Feb 21.

He deserves some consideration in that Class 4A (1,200m) sprint on Nov 30.

The same could be said for Banker's Pair Nine. After being put through a round of cantering, he also ran the 600m in 38.8sec.

The three-year-old son of Accelerate is not the brightest, but he did show ability when finishing third to Make You Happy in an Open Maiden race (1,600m) on Aug 2. That was the only time he placed in 11 starts, but give him some respect.

Outside of the "Bankers", two "Guns" fired away on the training track.

Top Gun  ran the 600m in 39.4sec while Tommy Gun did the same trip in 41sec.

From Sharee Hamilton's yard, Top Gun has always been an honest worker.

His third in that Class 5A race (1,100m), won by From The Navy at Ipoh on Sept 20 two starts ago, would have given his connections hope for a fourth career win.

However, they would have been deflated when, in his last start in a Class 5A event at Sungai Besi on Oct 25, Top Gun failed to fire.

The son of Ruwi never even got off a shot and finished a long way back in that 1,020m sprint.

At seven, Top Gun is getting on in years but he can still raise a gallop and is always a good one to have in those exotic bets.

Tommy Gun, on the other hand, turned in a promising effort at his last start in a Class 5A contest (1,020m) on Nov 8. The Flying Artie five-year-old needs only to step up on that performance to land a win in this Class 5A sprint (1,020m).

Trained by Ananthen Kuppan for the Legacy Power Racing Stable, Tommy Gun – who was ridden by Andre da Silva then – was shouted the winner at the 150m mark. But he could not keep a straight course and was caught on the line by Thunder Star.

Keep the faith in this former Singapore galloper. Tommy Gun won on debut over 1,200m at Kranji on May 4, 2024, and though he has yet to get off the mark in Malaysia in 11 starts, he is better than that.

A second career win could be forthcoming.