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The racing pattern was not in his favour, but Saint Tropez still pipped favourite Raising Sixty-One to score in the $70,000 Class 3 race (1700m) on Saturday.
After getting off the mark in Singapore in a Class 3 race (1800m) in April this year, the Shane Baertschiger-trained gelding went on to run in all three Legs of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, including the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) where he finished fifth behind Golden Monkey.
Interestingly, after eight runs on the turf, Saint Tropez stepped out for his first test on the Polytrack, to which his Australian conditioner revealed it was the only available option for the five-year-old son of Not A Single Doubt as he was being aimed at loftier targets later in the season.
"There were no other races on the turf for him at Class 3 level, so we ran him on the Poly(track)," said Baertschiger.
"I thought he trialled well (ran third to Golden Brown on August 31), but it was just a question mark whether he handled the Poly(track). He ran fifth in the Derby, so he's got good Group form.
"I'll try to plot a path for him towards the (Group 1) (Singapore) Gold Cup. He can run the trip and he handled the softer goings back in Australia."
Run over 2000m on November 11, the Singapore Gold Cup is the third and final Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series, in which the first two Legs are the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m) and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m), held on September 23 and October 14 respectively.
Now owned by MA Racing & Hi Vis Stable, Saint Tropez won three races from 13 starts in Australia, twice (1209m and 1600m) over heavy goings when trained by Lloyd Kennewell.
With winning partner Ronnie Stewart back on board, Saint Tropez bounced out well in the seven-horse field and sat handier than usual in second behind leader In All His Glory (Bruno Queiroz).
The slackened pace of 26.59secs in the first 400m would not help Saint Tropez if he was ridden quieter like in most of his past races. Jockey Vlad Duric, too, knew the lack of speed in the field before he was seen scrubbing $11 favourite, Raising Sixty-One, up as the pack began cornering for home.
Stewart made his move as they turned for home and Saint Tropez ($19) hurried past the weakening leader, but Raising Sixty-One was not ready to throw in the towel yet.
Under relentless riding from the four-time Singapore champion jockey, Raising Sixty-One seemed to have hit the line at the same time with Saint Tropez, but the photo finish showed the latter got the win by a nose.
Real Efecto (Manoel Nunes) came from almost last to run third another one-and-three-quarter lengths away. The winning time was 1 min 45.68secs for the 1700m on the Polytrack.
Baertschiger's eyes were glued to the huge Astro vision screen on the trackside minutes after the race but he saw that "silver lining" in the tight finish.
"I saw his white snip (strip) and I thought he got it," said Baertschiger, who sits 10th on the trainers' log on 18 wins this year.
"I told Ronnie to be positive from barrier six, either be outside the leader or be in the first four.
"I thought he's still better ridden quieter but there was no speed."
Stewart, who pulled off a double following his victory in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race (1400m) atop the Tim Fitzsimmons-trained Geobels Glory ($16) two races earlier, said they had to play the cards they were dealt and the on-pace run paid off in the end.
"It was a good training effort by Shane," said the Australian hoop.
"Today, due to circumstances, we rode him a bit closer in the race but he's probably better ridden quiet.
"He's got a short, sharp sprint. We had to go around them at first, but he's got a quick turn of foot.
"The horse flattened out well and and just got the job done."
With two wins in nine starts, Saint Tropez has taken his earnings to just under $90,000 for connections.
