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Trainer Leslie Khoo is still getting to know the highest-rated horse in his yard, recent Toast Trusts transfer Fame Star, but hopes a forward run this Saturday on the second day of the Lunar New Year will seal their new partnership with better fortunes.

The US-bred sprinter by Twirling Candy moved from John O'Hara to Khoo shortly after his failed bid to go back-to-back in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) mid-November. Prior to his arrival, Class 3 galloper Yaya Papaya on 68 points was Khoo's table-topper in the ratings, but Fame Star on 97 points, is clearly in a different league with a whopping 29 points more.

In two starts under the Khoo banner, the six-year-old racing in the Toast Trusts green, black and yellow colours alongside a new partner in Shane McDonnell, was, however, beaten, albeit not out of his ground – fourth and third in Kranji Stakes A events, over 1400m and 1200m respectively.

The bold frontrunner, who has won all his eight races by either leading or taking a handy trail, is rising back to the seven-furlong trip in this Saturday's $100,000 Class 1 race. He has not greeted the judge in nearly one year, the last coming in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m on February 15, 2020.

Khoo admitted he could not quite put the finger on Fame Star 's best trip even if record shows his only win beyond 1200m came in the EW Barker Trophy when he outsprinted his rivals from the front for French jockey Marc Lerner.

"He's stepping back up to 1400m, but I'm not quite sure if that's better than 1200m for him," said the Singaporean handler.

"I guess as he's now older, he can take a longer distance better even if I know he won over 1400m once.

"He's improving all the time, he's getting fitter and we can see it in his work. His two runs for me weren't bad at all.

"At his last start, he dwelt at the start, which is something he never did before. I hope it doesn't become a habit.

"He also had to be used up from the wide barrier to go forward, but he still did well to run third.

"If not for the awkward start, I think he could have finished closer (beaten two lengths by Grand Koonta).

"He's a horse who needs to go forward to give his best and for that, he needs to draw a good barrier."

Khoo has not booked a jockey yet for Fame Star.

"I wanted to put Iskandar (Rosman) back on, but nothing's confirmed yet," he said.

Meanwhile, the former top jockey was a keen watcher at the barrier trials on Tuesday, especially in the second heat where he had a new filly on show for the first time, Super Generous.

Ridden by Zyrul Nor Azman, the Showcasing three-year-old displayed early toe to settle among the first three on a wide path, before striding on nicely to second place, three lengths behind impressive winner Mystery Power, a new Irish import for Mark Walker and champion owner Falcon Racing.

Khoo owns the filly formerly known as Amor Fati when she was then trained in New Zealand by former jockey Clint Isdale, with a sixth place in the 2020 Karaka Million (1200m) the best result.

On such credentials, Khoo should harbour legitimate ambitions for his new acquisition but he would know better not to get too carried away.

Two years ago, he brought over another Karaka Million graduate, Beauty Diva, who finished fifth in the 2019 renewal. In six starts at Kranji, Beauty Diva, also a Showcasing mare previously prepared by Isdale, has shown little with a fourth place to Inferno in one Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series as her best result.

Incidentally, Beauty Diva will be trying to make further headway at her third-up run after a long break this Saturday in the Class 4 Division 2 race over 1100m.

"Super Generous raced in New Zealand and ran sixth in the Karaka Million. Today was her first trial, and she showed plenty of gate speed," said Khoo.

"I'll find a race for her after the Chinese New Year. I own her for now, and I hope she lives up to her New Zealand form, better than what Beauty Diva did.

"But I must also say she (Beauty Diva) had chips and had to go for surgery twice. That's why she was away for so long (16 months), she will need more time.

"She ran okay at her two runs back. I can only hope she runs a better race this week."

Khoo has made a much better start to the season than last year's with three winners already on the board, Proof Perfect (dead-heated with Vulcan) at the season's curtain raiser on January 3, and Grand Fighter and Super Ray providing a double on Sunday.

"It's not a bad start. The horses are running well," said Khoo who saddled only eight winners last year.

"I just hope they keep it up."