War Affair, one of last season's finds, served notice of his intention to return to racing with a good trial win at Kranji yesterday.
Now under leading trainer Alwin Tan, who took over from Mark Walker in a high-profile transfer, War Affair took the fifth of seven trials over 1,000m on the Polytrack with the second fastest timing (1min 00.67sec).
The fastest was the in-form Cavallo, who clocked 1:00.17.
War Affair has had eight starts for six wins and a second.
One of his wins was in Group 2 and two in Group 3.
The three-year-old New Zealand-bred has been rested since finishing second to Super Ninetyseven in the Group 1 Raffles Cup over 1,800m.
Almost assured of the Champion Juvenile title at next week's Singapore Racing Awards, War Affair should be kick-starting his Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge campaign soon.
It won't be a surprise if this quality thoroughbred makes a triumphant return, going on the way he won his trial yesterday.
Ridden by jockey Danny Beasley, the brown gelding just tracked the front-runner and shot to the lead when asked shortly after straightening.
It was his second trial, after having a quiet jump-out two weeks ago.
How they ran
TRIAL 1 (ORT)
1 Lively Dragon (J Powell)
2 Good News (R Lim)
3 Orchard Road (M Suhaimi)
4 Golden Star (I Saifudin)
5 Best Tothelign (D Beasley)
6 King's Choir (B Vorster)
Margins and time: 2¼, nk, 3¼, 1¾, nk (1min 01.41sec)
Best Tothelign jumped in the air and was slowly away. Orchard Road was the first to begin and led briefly.
The four-year-old mare was soon overtaken by Lively Dragon, who led past the 600m mark by about a length. Golden Star was third, two lengths behind Orchard Road. Good News cruised up on his outside. A gap of four lengths behind came King's Choir and Best Tothelign.
Lively Dragon was first for home. Orchard Road closed in on his outside. Three lengths away came Golden Star and Good News. Lively Dragon kicked to a three-length lead at the 200m mark and kept up a good gallop without being extended to win by two and a quarter lengths from Good News.
TRIAL 2 (ORT)
1 Octivia (HZ Toh)
2 Full Meaning (R Lim)
3 First Option (Powell)
4 Ballistics (Suhaimi)
5 Power To Surprise (A Munro)
Margins and time: 2¾, 7¾, 1, ns (1:02.57)
A fairly even start.
Ballistics jumped first and went straight to the front by a length. But Full Meaning, who was restrained early, gathered speed to be the new leader.
At the 600m mark, he was two lengths in front of Ballistics and Octivia, who raced a bit keenly. Another two lengths behind came Power To Surprise and First Option.
Full Meaning maintained his two-length lead going into the straight. Octivia moved up second and was the only challenger. He was pushed hard from the 300m mark and soon went past the leader to win by two and three-quarter lengths.
TRIAL 3 (TEST)
1 Sweet Lodge
2 English Dream (K A'Isisuhairi)
3 Wonderful Prince (M Nunes)
4 Lutong Garden (K Lee)
5 Geariguru (D Flores)
6 Bengliam (L Allpress)
7 Fumiko (Suhaimi)
Margins and time: 1½, nk, 2¼, ns, 2¼, ½ (1:01.37)
Bengliam (blinkers) was slightly slow into stride. English Dream (1,000m/starting stall/vet) got away quickly, chased by Lutong Garden (pacifiers) and Geariguru (blinkers).
English Dream led past the 600m by slightly over a length from Lutong Garden. Geariguru was next wide. Newcomer Wonderful Prince and Sweet Lodge (blinkers) on the rails were next, two lengths away. Then came Fumiko (starting stall) and Bengliam.
English Dream straightened wide from Lutong Garden, who was ridden out. Wonderful Prince and Sweet Lodge closed in. Sweet Lodge grabbed the lead at the 200m mark and went on to win by one and a half lengths.
TRIAL 4 (PRACTICE)
1 Cavallo (S John)
2 Greenstone (Flores)
3 Mr Big (S Noh)
4 Rite Of Spring (Nunes)
5 Cash Luck (Beasley)
6 Harden Up (TH Koh)
7 World War (Munro)
8 Vertical Start (Vorster)
Margins and time: Nk, shd, 1, ½, 2½, 1¼, 52¼ (1:00.17)
Vertical Start reared badly and missed the start hopelessly. The others jumped in a tight bunch.
Cavalla and Greenstone disputed the lead. Greenstone popped his head in front of Cavallo at the 600m mark. Mr Big and Cash Luck were a length behind. Another length away was Rite Of Spring. Then came Harden Up and World War.
Greenstone was just slightly ahead of Cavallo on straightening and was soon being niggled at by David Flores. Mr Big closed in to join Cash Luck.
Cavallo overtook Greenstone at the 200m mark. Mr Big and then Rite Of Spring made their bid under vigorous riding. Cavallo won by a head from Greenstone. Mr Big was just a shorthead behind.
TRIAL 5 (PRACTICE)
1 War Affair (Beasley)
2 Collect The Cash (I Santana)
3 Rising Empire (T Rehaizat)
4 Military Alliance (Nunes)
5 Funca (Vorster)
6 Shipping Forecast
7 Do Me A Favour
Margins and time: 1, 1¼, 1¼, ½, 17¾, 35¼ (1:00.67)
Do Me A Favour missed the jump badly. A keen tussle for the lead ensued between Funca, War Affair and Rising Empire wide.
Rising Empire kicked on to take the lead and was two lengths in front of War Affair and Funca at the 600m mark. Collect The Cash and Military Alliance were a length behind. Shipping Forecast was four lengths away. Do Me A Favour suggested it wouldn't be home till dark.
Rising Empire was first to straighten up but was soon taken on by War Affair. Collect The Cash, Funca and Military Alliance were next.
Pushed, War Affair opened up and ran on to win by a length from Collect The Cash.
TRIAL 6 (PRACTICE)
1 Fragrance Empire (Santana)
2 Let It Rock (Vorster)
3 Northern Gold (Powell)
4 Verglatica (M Kellady)
5 Destiny General
6 Valentino (H Amin)
7 Jim
Margins and time: 3½, 1¾, 1, 2½, 1¼, nk (1:01.97)
Let It Rock was the first to break but Fragrance Empire spiralled to the lead. At the 600m, he was a length clear of Let It Rock and Destiny General. Verglatica and Northern Gold were two lengths away. Valentino and Jim were right behind.
Fragrance Empire straightened up three lengths clear of Let It Rock. Verglatica and Northern Gold moved up wide to make their bid. But Fragrance Empire was in galloping mood as he went straight like an arrow to beat Let It Rock by three and a half lengths.
Northern Gold finished well for third.
TRIAL 7 (PRACTICE)
1 Power Lin (Nunes)
2 Acordo De Paz (Vorster)
3 Excellent Beauty (Allpress)
4 Sui Generis (Saifudin)
5 Classic Effect (Flores)
6 Rollthedice
7 G Power (Amin)
Margins and time: Ns, 1¼, 2¼, 2, 4½, 5¾ (1:02.41)
A good start. A tight bunch early.
Racing to the 600m mark, Accordo De Paz and Power Lin wide were locked together. They were a length in front of Excellent Beauty on the fence.
Classic Effect, who was one of the early leaders, dropped back fourth, two lengths further back. Sui Generis was three lengths away. Two lengths behind came G Power, with another two lengths to Rollthedice.
Power Lin and Accordo De Paz were still joined at the hip turning for home. Excellent Beauty closed in to join them. The trio then made it a three-horse affair. Power Lin got the verdict by a mere nose.
Get The New Paper for more stories.