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This time last year, Jupiter Gold was at the pinnacle of his career as he went on to win the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (1800m).

One year on, the Hideyuki Takaoka-trained galloper's racing career has been stalled by an untimely tendon injury that ruled him out of the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m on May 25) he was being aimed at.

It was bitter disappointment in the Japanese camp, but a glimmer of hope has surfaced a couple of weeks ago when a scan revealed the off-fore tendon was showing good healing progress. 

But the nine-time winner and earner of close to $1.5 million is not out of the woods yet.

"His scan at the end of June was quite good. He is recovering well," said Takaoka.

"But we need to do another scan in August to be absolutely sure if he can return to racing. Fingers crossed he's okay, and we can then bring him back to work."

Jupiter Gold  hurt his tendon after a routine gallop three weeks before the Kranji Mile, which was eventually won by Hong Kong's Southern Legend in back-to-back wins.

If he makes a complete recovery, he will then be in a race against time to get ready for the Singapore Triple Crown series. The first Leg, the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m) is on September 22.

Jupiter Gold put in two encouraging runs, a fifth and third respectively in the Group 3 The New Year Cup (1200m) and Group 3 Fortune Bowl (1400m) over trips not made to suit this year, but his last start before his career was curtailed by the tendon setback was a lacklustre eighth to Debt Collector in a Class 1 race over 1400m on March 10.