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Sabah Star made up for his luckless second last start after he motored home strongly to score in the $70,000 Class 3 race (1400m) on Saturday.

The six-year-old son of Pins, who last won in a Class 3 race (1200m) in April 30 last year, ran a neck behind Axel in a Class 4 Division 1 race (1200m) last month, but he was found to have cast both his fore plates after the race.

With jockey A'Isisuhairi Kasim in the irons this time, the David Kok-trained Sabah Star again settled in mid-field on the rails before peeling out wide at the turn.

Leader Ironchamp (Marc Lerner) tried to hold on from the 400m, but War Pride (Zyrul Nor Azman) and Boomba (Ronnie Stewart) were already chipping away at the margins.

Tucked at the rear for most parts of the race, $9 favourite Dream Alliance (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) made his run late but was hemmed in by Stenmark (Jamil Sarwi) on his outside.

By then, Sabah Star  ($22) had sprinted past Boomba, before plugging away nicely towards the winning post on the yielding track.

Stenmark had to settle for second half-a-length away, while Dream Alliance, though held up momentarily, still ran home late to finish another length away in third.

The winning time was 1 min 21.76secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.

It was A'Isisuhairi's first win on the Turf Bloodstock Sabah Stable-owned gelding but after seeing a more tractable Sabah Star in trackwork recently, he was confident of a huge run from him.

"He ran second in a Class 4 (race) last time, but we always knew he's a decent horse with ability in Class 3 races," said the two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey who has ridden Sabah Star five times previously.

"He pulls in his races, but I was very happy with how the horse worked this week because he was a lot more settled. I told David he can run a big race today.

"He was very well-behaved even when we were walking over to the barriers.

"He's drawn one and the light weight (52.5kgs) helped today. I know what he's like so I left him alone early and he was travelling in a very relaxed manner.

"Coming to the top of the straight, I know he's got a short burst and that's why I waited and he just gave me his all in the last 300m.

"He can go over the 1600m for sure."

Kok attributed the win to Sabah Star's postage-stamp weight.

"He had the advantage of the light weight today," said the Singaporean handler of his fifth winner of the season.

"But he is also an honest galloper, though he would cast his plates sometimes which would affect his performances.

"We'll look for another race over 1400m for him next."

With eight wins and four placings from 29 starts, Sabah Star has now amassed over $250,000 in prizemoney for connections.