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Just like a ‘family member’ coming home after a long overseas sabbatical, punters will embrace an old mate at Kranji when Countofmontecristo makes his return to Singapore racing in the $100,000 Class 1 race (1200m) on Saturday.

Now a rising ten-year-old and under the care of trainer Steven Burridge, the Joe Giovanni-owned gelding last ran in Singapore in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) in October 2020 when he was trained by former Kranji trainer Mark Walker. He finished out of the placings to eventual winner, Top Knight.

Since then, the well-travelled multiple Group winner has seen more of Australia than most grey nomads, having 17 starts at nine different tracks in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.

Unfortunately, Countofmontecristo 's campaign in Australia did not reach the high expectations he set with five Group wins in Singapore - a fourth in the listed June Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick in July 2021 was his best result – but a massive drop in rating points was serendipitous for connections.

Leaving with a high rating of 115 which would weigh him out of any handicap races, he returned on an acceptable 85 points, which puts him at 55kgs in Saturday's nine-horse Class 1 field. The good thing is, that load would be slashed further with apprentice jockey Rozlan Nazam's four-kilo claim.

To put that drop in perspective, off a rating of 115, Countofmontecristo would have been asked to carry 59kgs in this Class 1 event, with the rest of the field – headed by Lucky Jinsha and Rocket Star on 93 rating points – all on the minimum 50kgs.

His rating has dropped for a reason – 17 unplaced runs is a long lean spell – but like Lim's Lightning before him, a return to his happy hunting ground may see the son of Echoes of Heaven back to his best, albeit with his age against him.

"He's sound," said Burridge on Thursday.

"That's the important thing given his age, but to be fair to him, I couldn't be happier with how he is going.

"In fact, he's probably surprised me a bit. I've only had him for three months and he came back with a winter coat from Australia, so he's only just looking like a racehorse now.

"But he's done everything we've asked of him. Based on his recent trial (finished second to Hero in trial no. 4 on June 8), it's good enough to think that he will be competitive."

Of Countofmontecristo's Australian sojourn, Burridge thought the weather was against him showing his best.

"I think he never got the chance in Australia due to the rain-affected tracks," explained Burridge who rode in Australia back in the 1970s and 80s.

"It was terrible weather in Sydney all year and he ran into bad tracks in South Australia too. In my opinion, he is better than what he showed.

"And he is a multiple Group winner and he placed six times at Group 1 level in Singapore. He also almost won the Kranji Mile in 2017 (ran second to Infantry), so to see him back here off a rating of 85 is a bonus for me."

With that drop in rating in mind, Burridge – who now sits second behind the legendary late Laurie Laxon on the all-time winners list for trainers at Kranji with 834 wins – first considered a lightweight senior rider for Countofmontecristo, but eventually settled for a four-kilo claiming rider instead.

"I had (jockey) Ronnie (Stewart) in mind but he had already been booked (on Senor Don) for this race," he continued.

"So I thought we could push the weight advantage by putting on a four-kilo claimer and the kid (Rozlan) is riding well.

"The horse is not a hard ride, so it made sense and I don't think he (Countofmontecristo) carried such a light weight before.

"I'm not expecting much on Saturday, but whatever he does, he will improve."

Going forward, Burridge thought that races like the Group 3 Rocket Man Sprint (1200m) on August 6 and the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) on August 27 are on the cards. Both races constitute the second and third Leg of the STC Super Sprint series respectively, while the first Leg, the Group 3 Kranji Sprint (1200m) was won by the Burridge-trained Mr Malek on June 3.

"There are a couple of Class 1 races coming up and all things going well, he will have a crack at some of the Group sprints too," he said.

The Rocket Man (Sprint) is a handicap race, so that will suit him.

"We know he placed in the (Group 1) (Singapore) Gold Cup back in 2019 (ran third to Mr Clint), so he can look at any of the Group races from the mile to 2000m too."

Though concrete plans are not yet made for Countofmontecristo in the Group races ahead, his younger stablemate, Invincible Tycoon, will line up in the $150,000 Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) next Sunday for Burridge.

The son of I Am Invincible is reported to be fit and well ahead of his big assignment in the second Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.

"He pulled up well after the (Group 3) Silver Bowl (1400m)," said Burridge, referring to the first Leg in the 4YO series.

"We didn't want to lead but things didn't go to plan early, so his run was really good and I thought he got to the line well enough to think that the mile wouldn't be a problem. We will ride him quieter though."

The 4YO series will culminate with the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 23.