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After Lim’s Kosciuszko tasted defeat at his last three starts, connections are hoping a crossover noseband could be the answer to a return to winning ways in the $400,000 Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) this Sunday.

A perfect eight-from-eight bubble burst on April 30 when he was beaten into second by Gold Star in a Class 1 race over 1400m.

The Daniel Meagher-trained son of Kermadec then put in his worst run to-date with a 10th place in the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1,600m), albeit not far off the winner, stablemate Lim's Lightning. 

He redeemed himself with a more forward showing in the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) two weeks ago but found one better in Relentless.

Connections had been hesitant "to change a winning formula" before, but now that the shield of invincibility is gone, some gear tinkering is not uncalled for.

Lim's Kosciuszko  was spotted trialling with a crossover noseband last Thursday. After settling just behind eventual winner Fame Star (Ronnie Stewart), he sprinted home nicely in third under a tight hold from regular partner Danny Beasley.

Having steered the Lim's Stable-owned four-year-old to six wins, Beasley would no doubt be the best person to make an educated guess on how the new gear might enhance his performance come Sunday.

"The crossover noseband will help him breathe well and switch off," said the Australian jockey.

"He's a bit heavy-winded, and now that he's got beat a few times, we need to change something up.

"We discussed before and we could have put them on him earlier, but we've resisted when he was winning.

"I was happy with him after that trial, and like I said before, when he's relaxed in his work, his turn of foot is amazing. So hopefully this can help.

"The 1800m is a question mark but we'll know if he runs it out or not on Sunday."

Lim's Kosciuszko is stepping up to nine furlongs for the first time in the Singapore Derby. On his on-pace racing pattern, Beasley is praying for an inside gate and a true-run race.

"He got 11 (outermost barrier) in the Stewards' Cup, so we don't want a 10 this time either," said Beasley who has yet to win a Singapore Derby.

"I probably went a bit too quick on him in the early and middle stages the last time (Stewards' Cup), maybe that's why he got beat.

"But that could still be good because he got a good, tough and hard run that would condition him up well for the Derby.

"He trials well from behind too, but I can't see a horse leading him on Sunday, though we never know.

"We just want to go into the race, fair and square, and may the best horse win."

Beasley currently sits fourth on the jockeys' premiership with 21 winners under his belt thus far. Though he was on a steady roll early this year, the wins dried up after March.

With no winners in April and only one at the next three months, the latest being Lim's Puncak Jaya last Saturday, Beasley is keen to see his tally climb back up.

Besides Lim's Kosciuszko in the highlight of the day, Hongkong Great, a highly-rated miler with a rating of 97 points could put up a forward run at his Singapore debut in the $100,000 Class 1 race over 1200m.

The son of Lookin At Lucky (same sire as 2021 Hong Kong Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup winner Panfield) scored all-the-way wins three times on the all-weather surface (all over 1650m) in 14 starts at Sha Tin racecourse last year when trained by Danny Shum. He last ran sixth in a Class 1 race (1650m) in March this year.

Before that, the precocious Chilean-bred won five of his seven starts in Chile as a two and three-year-old, including three Group 1 races (1600m to 2000m on the turf) when known as El Picaro. His Argentinian trainer Ignacio Correas IV then took him to America but he finished out of the placings in four starts.

Beasley is set to partner the Ricardo Le Grange-trained and Edmond Yue-owned six-year-old gelding on Sunday. After steering him to an all-the-way win in heat no. 2 of the barrier trials on Tuesday morning, Beasley was evidently looking forward to Sunday.

"I can't help but be impressed with him. He's a beautiful-looking animal, very imposing and strong," he said.

"He came highly-rated and with a nice reputation from Hong Kong. I ride him in his trackwork and trial.

"Every time I sat on him and Ricardo asked him to do something, he's done it.

"It's surprising how he's showing quite a bit more speed here, but maybe he'll be different in the races."