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Trainer David Kok believes that class-dropper Sabah Star can atone in the $70,000 Better Than Ever 2011 Stakes, a Class 3 race (1400m) at the Kranji Mile meeting this Saturday.

The son of Pins has won seven times over the seven furlongs from eight wins (all on turf) thus far, with the latest one coming in a Class 3 race on March 4. His owners from the Turf Bloodstock Sabah Stable then decided to take a chance with him over his winningest trip and surface in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy three weeks ago.

Sabah Star finished second-last to eventual winner Super Salute, but his Singaporean trainer said he had excuses due to the interference and lack of running room from the early part out.

"The owners wanted to run him in the Group race, but he was bumped after jumping and the horse had no room to come out," said Kok.

"From then on, he didn't have the chance to fight out the finish."

The six-year-old New Zealand gelding had jockey A'Isisuhairi Kasim on board at his barrier trial last Thursday when the pair ran fourth to Top Field. Kok was happy with his fitness and thought that he can make his presence felt.

"His fitness is very good. I think he stands a good chance," he said.

"Harry (A'Isisuhairi Kasim), who won on him the last time (March 4), will ride him this time.

"He comes from behind and he's won from both inside and outside gates before, so the barrier (10) doesn't matter.

"The only thing is he cast his plates often in the races previously because both his front hooves are small, but the farriers have done their best with the shoeing."

Besides Sabah Star, Kok thought that eight-year-old galloper Conflagrance also has strong claims in the $30,000 Lim's Lightning 2022 Stakes, a Class 5 Division 2 race (1400m). The Thewayyouare gelding last ran third with jockey Manoel Nunes in a Class 5 race (1200m) on April 23.

"He drew wide (12) last start but still ran third," said Kok, who currently has seven wins to his name this year.

"This time, he got an inside barrier (three) which is good. I'll leave it to Nunes to decide how to ride him."

Though Kok does not have a runner in the $1 million Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m), one runner in his bumper team of nine on Saturday still caught some attention given he was just transferred to Kok's stable last week.

Easylights ran last in a barrier trial last Thursday when he was under the care of trainer Young Keah Yong, yet he will face the starter in the $30,000 Southern Legend 2018 & 2019 Stakes, a Class 5 Division 3 race (1400m) under Kok's banner first-up.

It turned out that Young had decided to relinquish his trainer's licence by May 31. The 45-year-old Singaporean's last and only runner, My Boss, ran fourth last Sunday. He bowed out with 98 wins from 1489 runners in close to six years of training.

Among his remaining 10-odd lot of gallopers, four (Easylights, Kinabalu Star, Sabah Win and Kinabalu Warrior) "returned" to Kok's yard while the remaining will be sent to other trainers like Mahadi Taib, Jerome Tan and Jason Ong.

"The four horses were with me at first, but their Sabah owners (Turf Bloodstock Sabah Stable and RSTC Stable) sent them to KY (Keah Yong) to support him," he said.

"Now that he's leaving, they are transferred back to me. We knew each other when we worked under (ex-Kranji trainer) Charles Leck. After that, KY joined me as my stable supervisor when I became a trainer (in 2009) and (one year) later, he became my B-trainer as well.

"He's a good friend, but it's very tough in this industry if you lack owners' support."