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After an impressive debut win and a solid second-up third in only two starts, Kassab seemed to have all the makings of yet another quality individual for champion trainer Michael Clements.
But the Kuwaiti Al Rashid Stable-owned Exceed And Excel four-year-old went MIA shortly after his last run in a Class 4 race over 1000m on February 27.
Some wondered what could have happened, but Clements reassured it was just a case of "growing pains" that needed a little more time to address, and all was fine ahead of the English-bred's return this Saturday.
Kassab runs in the Class 4 Division 1 race over 1000m on Polytrack against the likes of Lonhro Gold, Bionics, Doc Hudson and stablemate Imperium, to name a few.
On paper, he is up against worthy rivals, but with Clements confident Kassab had been given every conceivable chance to revert to a level as close as possible to his previous form, there is a sense the chestnut can pick up where he left off.
"There was nothing majorly wrong with Kassab, only some pains and aches in the muscles," said the reigning Singapore champion trainer.
"The vets ran a check and couldn't detect anything amiss. We concluded they were just growing pains, and we only needed to put him out for him to grow out of them.
"We knew of such issues even before his debut. They actually delayed his start, so they've been ongoing issues.
"He's a horse who doesn't appear to take a lot of work. We've given him a fairly easy work programme and didn't pile too much on him.
"Fortunately, that does not seem to affect his fitness levels."
Clements topped Kassab off with a barrier trial on June 24 where he ran a close-up third to Win Win. Louis-Philippe Beuzelin was aboard but will this Saturday give way to Shafrizal Saleh who can claim one kilo off the 53.5kgs allotted. The French jockey will ride stablemate Imperium instead.
"He ran a decent trial two weeks ago. I'm pretty happy where he is at, he's very close to the level he was at before we put him away," said Clements.
"At his two starts (both 1000m races), he showed he was suited to Polytrack, and was pretty speedy, too.
"He seems to like that surface, and that's why we're running in that 1000m race this Saturday, along with Imperium who is also back from a spell.
"But for Imperium, it's more because he's had quite a bit of racing. Some horses need a break when they've raced too much, and we often do that with our horses.
"He also has some wear and tear issues like for any older horses. We have nursed him along and have brought him back for his first run this prep."
Imperium was actually suffering from heat stress at the pull-up after his last-start fourth to Metal World in a Class 4 1400m in January. The four-time winner (1100m to 1400m) by I Am Invincible was prone to the same condition early doors, hence the need to handle the sprinter with kid gloves even though he's now six.
On the other hand, Clements will be at his first lesson with newcomer Greatham Girl in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m three events earlier.
For now, the only pointers to any ability from the three-year-old daughter of former Kranji boom two-year-old Super One are her one and only start in Australia and her trackwork and barrier trial form at Kranji.
"Greatham Girl didn't feel fully acclimatised when she came here. She's not the finished product, but she has been improving as weeks have gone by," said Clements.
"She's been picking up in her condition. She's training and galloping better.
"She was quite speedy at her one race in Australia (third in an 1100m race at Stony Creek in February). I think she's a filly who's suited by running up on the pace."
The debutant will be piloted by Beuzelin and will carry a new set of orange and blue colours under the Greatham Girl & MA Racing Stable.
"They are a group of partners who already have horses with me, like Shepherd's Hymn. Hopefully, they can have some fun with this new filly," said Clements.
"I still think whatever she does from that first run, she will improve from it. She may need more time."
Super One was undefeated in four starts at Kranji, winning by aggregate margins of close to 16 lengths. He streeted his juvenile peers in both the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) and Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) before trainer Michael Freedman and the Super Team Stable sent him to Australia to test himself against the country's best sprinters.
The son of I Am Invincible was well beaten in the 2015 Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), but after transferring to Freedman's elder brother Anthony, he did claim the Group 3 DC McKay Stakes (1100m) in Morphettville the next year when ridden by another Kranji acquaintance, Daniel Moor.
He had one last shot at Group 1 level in The Goodwood (1200m) a fortnight later, but was well beaten by Black Heart Bart before he was retired to stud.
Up to now, Super One has had two progeny before Greatham Girl to have graced the turf at Kranji, but neither Good Fight (Donna Logan) nor Wednesday (Mark Walker) had been able to emulate their famous father, with no win registered either yet.
