NEXT UP

As expected, the noted backmarker was dropped out at the tail by first-time partner Simon Kok Wei Hoong, but the alarm bells started to ring loud when he was seen still spotting the leaders around 10 lengths at the 3 f with the Singapore champion apprentice jockey still not getting a wriggle-on.

Upfront, race-leader Winning Legend (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) was still going strong while Axel (Benny Woodworth) was also mounting a solid challenge, but the race complexion was turned on its head as soon as the even-money favourite started to sprout wings on the extreme outside.

To their credit, Winning Legend and Axel did not just retire from the race, as they hit back with a stiff response, but in the end, they could muster little against Big Hearted 's superiority.

Hitting top gear, the Hallowed Crown three-year-old went on to greet the judge with one length to spare from Axel who beat Winning Legend to the runner-up spot by a head. The winning time was 1min 12.25secs for the 6 f on the Polytrack.

Winning trainer Michael Clements admitted to a few nervous moments in the early part of the race, but was glad logic prevailed.

"This is the right way to run him as he's always had a strong finish. It was a bit nerve-wracking, though, to see him drop so far back," he said.

"But he has a great turn of foot and I was still confident he would come up with the goods.

"He took it easy for two weeks after his last start until the end of December. He is a fit horse and I just had to keep him ticking over.

"The Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge is his goal. We will decide whether he has one more run or he goes for a short let-up after today's run."

Kok, who was at his second win of the year after opening his 2020 account with Royal Pavilion on Wednesday - incidentally both coming for Clements - said a few pointers from Big Hearted's regular partner Vlad Duric explained his decision to hold the button for so long.

"I watched his replays and I know he can jump awkwardly. I spoke to Duric and he told me to ride him patient as he has a good turn of foot," said Kok, who just returned from a successful one-month stint with David and Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig in Melbourne during the December break.

"He is a big-striding horse and I just let him find this balance. I had to trust him and he quickened up his strides very well.

"I have no doubt he will become a very good horse."

Big Hearted has now put together a handy record of four wins and two seconds in seven starts for prizemoney around the $180,000 mark for the Falcon Racing No 7 Stable.