The buzz is all about Hakim Kamaruddin these days, like how he’s riding in such hot form he could also win on a broomstick.
Deservedly so because the Kelantan-born baby-faced assassin has really taken Kranji by storm at his sophomore year. On current standings, he would be odds-on to scoop up both the champion senior jockey and apprentice jockey titles, a feat not seen since Benny Woodworth pulled it off in 1995.
Not talked about as much, however, is a quiet achiever who has slowly but surely charted his own path up the riding ranks at Kranji - fellow Malaysian Krisna Thangamani.
This Sunday, South African trainer Ricardo Le Grange's apprentice jockey takes his first full book of rides across the 11 races on the card.
Nobody would bat an eyelid if that happened to the well-sought Hakim, but this is quite a big deal for Krisna, who not too long ago, would be lucky to pick up two or three rides a day.
No doubt, Krisna's rise has not been as meteoric as Hakim's, but it remains no less laudable, especially this season.
The 28-year-old Penangite landed from Richard Lines' Kuala Lumpur yard in 2017 the winner of 23 races north of the border, but it was not until his fourth Singapore season last year, ironically at the height of the pandemic, that he finally hit his straps.
The statistics speak for themselves. After battling on two winners at his first two seasons (2017 and 2018), Krisna improved his score to nine winners in 2019, making it into ninth place.
Going just one winner better last year - even if one of them handed him his first and only Group win thus far, the Tan Kah Soon-trained Nowyousee in the Group 3 New Year Cup - might suggest he was still treading water, but when taking into context the fewer races due to the Circuit Breaker, it was a good enough score to clinch third place on the log, albeit a yawning gap of 24 winners behind Simon Kok Wei Hoong (Hakim was runner-up at his debut season on 21 winners).
On the other hand, Krisna has noticeably been on a tear this season, earning a lot more plaudits and media mentions. To-date, he has chalked up 16 winners, the same amount as Iskandar Rosman, but which puts him in second place on a countback for seconds.
With daylight between Hakim (43 winners) and him, Krisna said he was fighting only for second place with Iskandar, but he's well aware of the crest of wave he is riding on – one which he modestly puts down to only a "little improvement", but hopes will take him to the top of his craft.
"Hakim is already champion, but this is definitely my best season. Iskandar is also doing very well, so it'll be between him and me for second place," he said.
"Honestly, I think I have improved just a little bit only. I still have a lot to learn – I'd say I have only learned about 70% of what it takes to become a complete jockey.
"The best way to learn is by getting more rides in racing, practice makes perfect. Here I have to thank the trainers who have supported me (other than Le Grange) like CT Kuah (Cheng Tee), Leslie Khoo and Daniel Meagher."
Krisna, whose 16 winners this year have come for seven different trainers, won't give himself a pat on the back, but would rather thank the teachers around him in the jockeys' room – even those who have left, including a Brazilian and it's not the one you may think!
"Till today, I still keep in touch with Matt Pumpa," said Krisna in reference to the former Riding Master who returned to Australia in November.
"I'm the one who texted him and asked him for advice. He still goes through my rides and teaches me what to do and what not to do.
"I also have jockeys who teach me, especially Marc Lerner. He spends a lot of time showing me what I did wrong, others like Danny Beasley, S John (Sundradas) and CC Wong (Chin Chuen) also teach me, and a big thank you to all of them.
"One of the things they have taught me is how to push and use the whip. I'm getting there, and I also practise a lot on the wooden horse.
"But if there is one jockey I still try to follow it's Jose de Souza. He was my first mentor when I was in Malaysia."
Krisna was among one of the Malaysians who had not crossed the Causeway before the pandemic, unlike those who did and were left stranded when the borders were closed. It's been tough being unable to head back to neighbouring Johor Bahru where he used to live or Penang where his wife of two years lives, but Krisna is grateful for small mercies.
"Of course, I miss home, but luckily I stayed back and got to ride the whole time," he said.
"In a way, COVID-19 has also helped us because there are fewer expat jockeys, therefore more opportunities for us local jockeys."
Krisna would not single out any of his 11 rides - featuring the likes of last-start winner Basilisk for Khoo and the resuming Field Marshal for Le Grange - as his best chance, but was particularly excited to get a first leg-up on consistent Polytrack mare Ararat Lady for Tim Fitzsimmons.
The Battle Paint six-year-old is coming off an easy last-start win in a Class 4 race over 1100m on July 25. The five-time winner will again go up in a grade she had struggled a little, but which is not impossible to crack, especially the field of Sunday's $70,000 Class 3 race over 1000m following the withdrawal of Songgong Hera.
"I've never ridden Ararat Lady before, not even in trackwork, but I know she's a good mare on Polytrack," said Krisna.
"I've watched all her replays when she won with Michael Rodd and Ruan Maia. She's drawn in the middle, she can go forward, but she can also sit handy in second or third.
"The trainer will tell me how to ride her on raceday. Hopefully, she runs a good race – just like my other rides.
"I've never had 11 rides before, but it's okay, I'm fit."
An avid Liverpool fan who is not too shabby on a football pitch himself, Krisna is a natural lightweight who claims two kilos, a dream for trainers. He may not have the strength of his heavier counterparts like Noh Senari, but his ability to ride light coupled with his upgraded skills often make up for it.
