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Another brilliant win from the clearly reinvigorated Sacred Croix on Saturday seems to have swayed champion trainer Mark Walker from his original intention of opting him out of the Kranji Mile.

At the Savabeel six-year-old's last win in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1600m on March 20, Walker said running him at weight-for-age conditions in the $1 million Group 1 showpiece on May 22 might not be such a good idea.

But after Sacred Croix pulled off another victory (his fourth in five starts this campaign) under champion jockey Vlad Duric in Saturday's $100,000 Super Easy 2013 Stakes, a Class 1 race over the same course and distance, shouldering 57 kilos, six kilos more than at his previous win, Walker had that glazed over look of someone who was happy he had been proven wrong.

"He's grown physically stronger as an older horse, and he has hit a purple patch of form," said the Kiwi trainer.

"He went off the boil for a while, but we gave him a break after the Singapore Gold Cup (11th to Big Hearted in November) and he has struck a rich vein of form since.

"I will need to get Vlad's opinion about the Kranji Mile, especially as he carried 57 kgs today. I know Vlad is riding Top Knight, which I totally understand, so I may have to find another rider if Sacred Croix runs, maybe (Walker's leading apprentice jockey) Hakim (Kamaruddin)."

Duric for one was not giving anything away as the Michael Clements-trained Top Knight's run only comes up four races later in the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) considered as the perfect lead-up to the Kranji Mile, but the ringing post-win endorsement the four-time Singapore champion jockey gave Sacred Croix, a horse he was riding for the first time, would give a good clue who might be his back-up plan.

"Early doors, this horse showed a lot of talent when Benny Woodworth rode him, but he then hit a flat run," said Duric.

"Today, it took him a while to hit top gear, but once he did, he was again too good.

"I think Mark was very clever in running him with light weights and claimers. That has built up his confidence, and he will be up to his ears in the Kranji Mile."

The mercurial Australian has about one month to make a decision, which might not be without some sleepless nights. After bringing up the rear, Top Knight later made stacks of ground to run eighth in the Lion City Cup, only less than three lengths off the winner Lim's Lightning, a mighty effort considering the Singapore Derby winner is not a 1200m horse.

As per his customary style, Sacred Croix settled in the third tier of the field as the small 10-horse field was towed along by I'm Incredible (Oscar Chavez) before jostling for a run upon straightening.

Old foes Minister (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) and Sun Marshal (Danny Beasley), who was first-up, as well as Senor Don (Juan Paul van der Merwe) were fighting out the business end of the Class 1 race until Sacred Croix came powering home down the middle of the track.

Pennywise (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) was also letting down with a big run on the outside, but had to settle for second place one length astern, beating stablemate Senor Don into third place another half-length away. The winning time was 1min 35.62secs for the 1600m on the Short Course.

Sacred Croix 's outstanding record now reads eight wins, two seconds and two thirds for prizemoney around the $475,000 mark for the Remarkable Stable.

Both Walker and Duric had a day out when they recombined two races later for another win with another Savabeel, $17 shot Savvy Command in the $50,000 Capablanca Stakes, a Class 4 Division 1 race over 1400m.

The copybook win from a stalking race behind leader Be You (Danny Beasley) gave Walker a five-timer (after he won earlier with Elliot Ness, Axel and Big Regards) that catapults him to just one winner behind reigning champion trainer Michael Clements (25 versus 26), who returned home empty-handed on Saturday.

Duric was hitting win No 4 with Savvy Command, or win No 603 after he brought up the 600-milestone on Elliot Ness, but he was not to be outdone when he went on to ring up his own high-five with $19 favourite King's Command in the last race, the $50,000 Why Be 2007 Stakes, a Class 4 race over 1600m.

Just like Walker, the massive haul has seen Duric leapfrog to second place behind Marc Lerner. They are both on 15 winners, but Duric, who has been slow off the starting blocks this season due to a combination of health scare and suspensions, cannot yet regain a place he has been familiar with in the last four seasons, on a countback for seconds.