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Irish stayer Yulong Edition gave connections some solace for missing out on the Singapore Gold Cup after he blew away his rivals in the $70,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy, on Sunday.
The staying Kranji Stakes C race over 2000m was widely seen as a consolation stakes for those who did not make the final cut as the last 16 in the $1 million Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup run over the same 2000m trip, to be staged later as Race 9.
Yulong Edition was left out after coming in only as the fourth emergency, but while his emphatic all-the-way victory by just under four lengths might have the usual "what if" question creep into part-owner Eric Koh's mind, it was still a success duly celebrated in its own right.
That's great. The apprentice jockey (Nizar Mohammad) rode him well, and he also ran time (2mins 0.48secs for the 2000m on the Short Course)," said Koh whose Team Cheval races the Irish-bred four-year-old son of Makfi in partnership with Chinese owner Yu Long Stable.
Nizar, trainer Saimee Jumaat's up-and-coming apprentice jockey, was also over the moon he had lived up to trainer Mark Walker's trust.
He was also booked for the Gold Cup ride, but thought the non-starter status was a blessing in disguise.
"He was the fourth emergency, I knew he wouldn't get into the Gold Cup, even if it would have been amazing if I had a ride in the Gold Cup," said Nizar.
"That race was easier to win, but I still had to win it. All I did was listen to Mr Walker's instructions – let him lead comfortably, run relax in the first 1000m and at the 800, let him roll.
"A big thank you to Mr Walker for the opportunity. I'm really glad and happy I won.
"With luck and hard work, the results follow."
Hard work was exactly what the New Zealand mentor wanted to recognise when he picked out Nizar for the steering duties on a horse he had never ridden before.
"Nizar is a great kid. He just listens to instructions, he helps me out at the stables when I'm short of riders," said the current leading trainer who is all poised to pick up a third title with his tally having now hit the 72-win mark, 16 clear of Michael Clements (later went to 17 when Federation under Benny Woodworth landed Race 8).
"I like to reward these young fellows as they have limited opportunities with so many great riders around.
"I told him to use him up early to find the lead, let him breathe and run relaxed in the first 1000m down the back. As he is a one-paced horse, I told him to just go in the last 800m.
"He's a bit funny in the gates, but once he jumped out well today, I knew he'd be a good chance. Our starters John Pepe and Damien Kinninmont do a great job with these horses."
Yulong Edition, who scored his previous three wins in identical frontrunning fashion, enjoyed an uncontested lead before suddenly giving the slip at the 800m.
Entering the home straight, Yulong Edition looked to have caught his 11 opponents napping when the lead widened to seven lengths. Irving Lipschitz (Vlad Duric) and Mr Dujardin (William Pike) bravely tried to close the gap, but it was already a lost cause with 100m to go, even if Yulong Edition did start to noticeably lower his neck in the shadows of the winning post.
A two-time winner (1610m and 2019m) in UK, Yulong Edition bolted in by three-and-three-quarter lengths from Irving Lipschitz with Mr Dujardin third another half-length away and has now taken his local record to four wins and one third from 10 starts for stakes earnings around the $160,000 mark for the Yu Long Stable.
