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Promising youngster Bestseller looked to be a stayer in the making after he ran home late in the $70,000 Class 3 race (1400m) on Saturday.
A three-time winner over six furlongs previously, the Ricardo Le Grange-trained four-year-old took home his first win on the 1400m trip under a patient ride from jockey Vlad Duric.
After a clean jump from barrier four, the $16 favourite took a sit in midfield while the pacey Akhtar (Zyrul Nor Azman) and Ghalib (Manoel Nunes) vied for the lead in the backstraight.
As the field of 14 fanned out turning for home, Ghalib was the first to raise the white flag after pulling hard for most of the way but Akhtar was still holding the fort. Meanwhile, Bestseller, who copped a few bumps at the bend, worked home steadily under Duric's urgings.
Grand Avante (Bruno Queiroz) and King Zoustar (Jerlyn Seow) also made some ground on the inside of Bestseller. The former took the lead momentarily at the 140m, but Duric was determined not to let the win slip by.
Under the four-time Singapore champion jockey's windmill whip-wielding style of riding, Bestseller knuckled down to the task as best as he could in the final 100m before he got up by half-a-length from Grand Avante.
A luckless Lim's Craft (Ronnie Stewart), who was hemmed in a couple of times in the straight with nowhere to go, finished another neck behind in third. However, connections won in their protest to the stewards over an alleged interference from Grand Avante near the post, to which he was eventually promoted to second.
The winning time was 1 min 21.68secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
Though Bestseller, who found one better in all three Legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge this year, finished unplaced to Rambo in a Class 3 race over the mile two weeks ago, Le Grange pointed out that the frontrunning tactics probably did not suit the son of Dream Ahead, who got all fired up back then.
"I'm so happy to see this gutsy horse win again today," said the South African handler, who bagged a double after Golden Dash ($19) won in the $30,000 Class 5 race (1100m) five races earlier.
"He was ridden too handy and pulled too hard at his last start. This horse needs to be ridden patiently. That was a gun ride by Vlad.
"Congrats to (owners) Sandy (Leonardo) and Karen Javier. It's always a pleasure to train winners for their family.
"I also want to thank my apprentice (jockey) Rozlan (Nazam), who worked on this horse every day and his syce, Senawi.
"He (Bestseller) will definitely stay."
First-time race partner Duric worked on Bestseller in the week and thought the Leonardo Javier-owned gelding relaxed nicely in the race.
"I was quite pleased with him actually," said the Australian hoop of his 21st winner this year.
"He worked on Monday morning. We sat off one of his stablemates and he relaxed really well.
"When he drew a good barrier, I said to Ricky, 'I'd like to ride a race on him and see if he settles'. He did.
"Everything pretty much went according to plan, though it was a little bumpy here (at the bend turning for home), but we got out and there was plenty of time. The Long Course helped him too.
"He's a nice, neat horse."
With four wins and six placings in 13 starts, Bestseller has raked in more than $250,000 in prizemoney for connections.
