One down and one to go.

That would be how trainer Pat Shaw will be feeling after the win of Thundering Jet in the Group 2 $300,000 Chairman’s Trophy over 1800m on Friday night.

Shaw headed to South Africa on Monday following trackwork where he has Lizarre, trained by Mike de Kock, running in the Durban July at Greyville on Saturday.

Ridden by Barend Vorster, Thundering Jet finished too strongly to defeat Any Humour (Danny Beasley) by a half length with Intercept (Joao Moreira) two-and-a-half lengths back in third place.

Vorster rode a patient race aboard the former South African galloper, settling in the back half of the field on a solid early pace.

Tarankali (Ismail Saifudin) was hard ridden to find the front in the early stages of the race, leading over Superb (Soo Khoon Beng), Any Humour and Cheyenne Dancer (Vlad Duric).

The well supported $12 favourite Waikato (Saimee Jumaat) was trapped three and four wide without any cover and over-racing as the field settled down.

All this while Vorster was able to sneak up on the fence and save every inch of ground and coming to the hometurn was just four lengths off the lead.

Soon after straightening Tarankali was quickly beaten off and Beasley shot Any Humour to the lead and with 200m to run was being hailed as the winner – which in the process would have afforded him his second Chairman’s Trophy.

But Vorster was able to angle Thundering Jet into the clear and as a galloper who likes a longer trip he knuckled game gamely to overhaul Any Humour in the final 50m.

With Shaw in South Africa, assistant trainer Ricardo Le Grange said the job to get Thundering Jet to Singapore was an enormous effort.

The five-year-old is owned by Fred Crabbia, owner of champion sprinter Rocket Man and who has been a great supporter of Singapore racing over many years.

“Full credit must go to Fred for getting this horse here,” said Le Grange.

“He sent over eight horses in total and it was a nightmare of a task getting them here.

“They went into quarantine twice and the second time they only just got out by the skin of their teeth.

“This horse has done a tremendous job to win at his second run after a long lay-off.

“It was a great ride by Barend. He rode him absolutely perfectly.”

Le Grange was reluctant to disclose plans for the gelding but said the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup over 2200m in November was likely to be the target.

“I will let Pat disclose the plans but I would say the Gold Cup is likely to be on his agenda.”

Vorster said the gelding would continue to improve and get better as the races get longer and was already looking ahead to the Gold Cup with him.

Felix Coetzee had the mount aboard Thundering Jet when the gelding made his Singapore debut on July 11 before Vorster was reunited with him in a 1000m barrier trial last Tuesday.

“This is my Gold Cup ride,” said Vorster. “He’s run with the best in South Africa. Last year he even ran fourth to Big City Life in the July Handicap.

“He’s a very strong individual and a genuine stayer. He will get even better over more ground.

“He was second last at the home turn but things panned out nicely for him. It was just a matter of deciding which side to go.

“I opted for the outside for the better going and he quickened up very well.

“I knew from his trial on Tuesday that he was close to his peak. I mean to run third to Noble Manor, you knew he’d have to come on from that.”

Saimee said the race wasn’t run to suit Waikato who was second-up after a break but was heavily supported on his first-up win in the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes over 1400m on July 11.

“It was not a truly run race. They slammed the brakes early and that was the end for us,” said Waikato’s jockey Saimee Jumaat.

“I was caught three to four wide but did get some cover when Pina Colarda went around me, but then he kept dropping back on me in the home straight.”

Thundering Jet is a son of Jet Master from the Hobnob mare Bar The Shouting and his victory on Friday night comes on top of his four victories in South Africa before his arrival.

The Shaw-Vorster-Crabbia combination followed up Thundering Jet’s victory in the following race when The Dancer took out the $55,000 Class 4 Stakes over 1800m, giving Vorster a winning treble and moving him into third place on the Jockey’s Premiership Table with 43 winners for the season.