"EMPEROR" PUTS WONG BACK ON TOP IN TOWN

THURSDAY: July 10, 2025: EIGHTEEN years is a long time between “drinks”, and Tommy Wong was entitled to have a strong one last night!

The Hawkesbury trainer doesn’t have regular metropolitan runners, but was back in the winning list at Canterbury yesterday with a horse who cost only $3000 as a yearling.

Desi Emperor ($4.20 favorite) continued his ultra consistent form this preparation by taking the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).

Wong couldn’t remember the date of his previous city winner, but knew it was around 20 years ago.

A check of the records revealed the horse was Seefu on the Kensington track on February 28, 2007.

Ridden by Grant Buckley, the gelding started at $26 in a No Metropolitan Win the previous 12 months’ race over 1400m and upset $1.55 hotpot Pelennium, ridden by Glen Boss.

News of that result brought back happy memories for Wong.

“I bred, owned and trained Seefu,” Wong said this morning.

Wong didn’t breed yesterday’s return city winner Desi Emperor – but the victory was just as sweet.

He made important gear changes on the five-year-old son of Kobayashi – who was purchased online through Inglis in May 2021 – just before resuming at Hawkesbury on May 15 (when runner-up to subsequent city winner Don’t Forget Jack).

Wong took a cross-over nose band and winkers off Desi Emperor, and instead substituted a tongue tie.

“He was fighting the nose band in work, and wasn’t happy at all,” he explained.

“Desi Emperor is much more comfortable in the tongue tie.”

The switch has certainly worked as Desi Emperor has now won twice and run second on three occasions from his five starts.

Desi Emperor is the second foal of the unraced Artie Schiller mare A Little Blessed, whose first foal Kingham (by Smart Missile) was a $26 Queensland country winner at Chinchilla in May 2023.

Winning rider Keagan Latham gave due credit to Wong for the job he has done with him this preparation.

“I wasn’t intending to lead on Desi Emperor because there was plenty of speed in the race,” Latham said.

“But he pinged out from his inside draw, and was too strong for his rivals in the straight.

“Tommy has got him going really well.”

Wong has turned Desi Emperor’s form around this time in work after he was unplaced in six starts last time, and explained the gelding was continually troubled by a foot abscess.

And whilst Desi Emperor is a winner at 1600m on three occasions, he has successfully kept him to shorter distances (1100m-1200m) this campaign.

Nonetheless he isn’t in a hurry to try to add to the gelding’s record – seven wins and as many placings and prizemoney approaching $200,000 – just yet.

“He has had a couple of hard runs, and I’ll give him a little break before starting him again,” Wong said.

No doubt hoping Desi Emperor will continue in winning vein and ensure he doesn’t have to wait so long to celebrate another triumph in town.