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Top jockey Vlad Duric and Illustrious gave a perfect example of how weights do not necessarily stop a train after the pair breezed home for an easy win in the $70,000 Super Easy 2012 Stakes (1100m) on Saturday.

Duric is a heavyweight rider while Illustrious, a strapping grey that weighed a whopping 597kgs on the scales, had to carry the top weight of 59kgs first-up in the Class 3 race after he finished unplaced in a Class 2 race over the same trip in March.

In line with his usual forward racing pattern, the five-year-old son of Top Echelon jumped straight on the bunny after he broke from gate four while stablemate Gold Ten Sixty-One (Ronnie Stewart) camped on his outside in second.

Once the field turned for home, Duric set sail aboard Illustrious  ($23) and the pair bounded away to an easy three-length win. I Am Sacred (Akmazani Mazuki) hung on well in second, while Mimosas (Daniel Moor), who put up an eye-catching run to fly home from second-last, finished another three parts of a length away in third.

The winning time was 1 min 4.56secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.

It was the Australian hoop's only ride of the day and the perfect score would take his season tally to seven wins from 35 rides, which meant a remarkable strike rate of 20%, despite his well-documented health issues and constant struggle with body weight.

The four-time Singapore champion jockey only made a riding comeback in Singapore in late June last year after he left the year before due to a series of health setbacks including kidney stones, throat lump and a thumb injury.

In those five months leading up to the end of 2022, Duric clocked in 34 winners from 126 rides and ranked third on the jockeys' log. While he has not taken rides less than 57kgs this season, Duric made up for it with his exceptional riding ability.

He started the season with a bang on Vittoria Perfetta, his only ride on January 14, followed by three wins and two placings from five rides on March 25, including a second with Katak in the Group 1 Raffles cup (1600m) and also took home 14 other placings to-date.

The 45-year-old jockey now sits ninth on the jockeys' premiership table, 26 wins less than current leader Manoel Nunes, but the experienced jockey also knew the importance of not pushing the limit with his own body, even if the desire to win remained strong.

"I'm getting older (laughs) and there's still a bit of weight issue. I've also had some health problem before too so I don't want to push my body," said Duric.

"I'm happy to keep riding for now. It has been part of my life for 30 years, but it's just that I'll ride a bit heavier and probably not get as many rides.

"Yet, a winner is all you need after all."

Speaking of Illustrious, Duric knew the Buffalo Stable-owned gelding was back in form after he won a barrier trial on April 27.

"He won it easy today. He's had a few issues, but credit to Tim because he persevered with him," he said.

"When I rode him in the trial last week, I knew he was back to his best and he showed that today."

Winning trainer Tim Fitzsimmons deflected the credit to Singapore Turf Club vet surgeon Dan Shaw but was also pleased with the win and how his other three runners, Mimosas, Gold Ten Sixty-One (fourth) and Dancing Light (seventh) ran.

"I want to thank Dr Dan Shaw because he's (Illustrious) had a wind op(eration) last year," said the Australian handler.

"He had a few complications with it but it's nice to see him back at the winner's circle, as well as to get another win for the Buffalo Stable.

"For a while I don't know if we could get him back after his wind operations, so it's a relief.

"Vlad rode him beautifully. It was a big effort with 59kgs and he won it easily.

"Gold Ten Sixty-One got caught wide from the wide barrier (11). Mimosas ran enormous, he came from (second) last and finished off beautifully. Dancing Light ran okay.

"There's a Class 2 race over the 1100m on the Poly(track) coming up in June and we will run Illustrious in that."

Fitzsimmons was referring to a race programmed for the Group 3 Kranji Sprint (1200m) meeting on June 3. With six wins and four seconds in 18 starts, Illustrious has amassed over $260,000 in prizemoney for connections.