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Debt Agent will go for a spell after his unplaced run in the A$2 million Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

That is what Barree Stable's principal owner Glenn Whittenbury (seen above flanked by Michael Rodd and Cliff Brown) said was the decision made between himself and new trainer Jim Conlan after the horse known as Debt Collector  when prepared by Cliff Brown at Kranji beat one home.

The race was won by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Magic Wand (Ryan Moore). Debt Agent settled at the rear for his regular Kranji partner Michael Rodd, but never made any ground when whipped around the outside of the Flemington home straight.

While that is where he used to muster his signature turn of foot to devastating effect as he did at all his 12 wins in Singapore, Debt Agent just plodded on to run 15th, around 14 lengths off the UK winner.

Whittenbury said much better was expected from the 2016 Singapore Horse of the Year, especially after his last outing (second-up in Australia) in the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) produced a fast-closing seventh, only one length off the winner Chief Ironside.

"We only ran him in the Mackinnon after his super run in the mile race. On that run, we thought it was worth a shot, but he came back sore," said the Victorian-based owner.

"It's a different class of horses he is racing against. In Singapore, when he takes off, he races past them, but there, if he quickens, they run away even quicker.

"But he's done us proud in three starts. To me, he never really had a good break in between two runs in two different countries (last Singapore start was his fourth place in the Kranji Mile in May and his Australian debut came in a Listed race over 1400m at Flemington on October 5).

"He will now go for a good spell in the paddocks at Jim's property in Mornington and we'll then bring him back in work. I'd still like to see where he is at in Australia, right now we still don't know.

"If the horse tells us he's had enough, we'll retire him in Sydney. Cliff has already organised for him to stay at a farm owned by Johnny Walker.

"He owes us nothing and he deserves a nice retirement."

Straight after the Mackinnon Stakes, Whittenbury flew to Singapore (together with Rodd) where he was privileged to see his new rising star Inferno (with Rodd aboard) drub his three-year-old rivals in the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes (1200m).

"That was an incredible win. We still haven't got to the bottom of this bloke, next year will be exciting for him," he said.

Perhaps one horse who has given him fewer goosebumps is Don De La Vega, who happened to be hitting the ground running at Tuesday's barrier trials which Whittenbury attended "by chance".

"I fly back tomorrow, so I thought I'd come to the track this morning and it turned out Don De La Vega was trialling," he said.

"It was a nice way to catch up with the boys and Inferno at the stables, and watching Don trial."

Ridden by Ben Thompson, the Lope De Vega five-year-old finished at the rear, nothing too untoward, given the two-time winner over 1400m is more of a stayer.