NEXT UP

The signs that those who backed the $12 shot were in for a nerve-wracking time did not occur at only that final stage of the race.

Right from the start, the Shamus Award four-year-old had to be ridden out by Singapore champion apprentice jockey Simon Kok Wei Hoong to keep in step with main rival Yulong Green (Vlad Duric) who had on the other hand found the lead easily to set a steady clip.

Trapped three deep round the bend, Siam Royal Orchid  Orchid looked decidedly vulnerable even if he eventually crept up closer to sit outside Yulong Green at the point of the turn.

But it was in the leader's favour that the momentum clearly swung towards when Duric dug up his mount at the 2 f. Yulong Green suddenly put astern a space of two lengths, which seemed to widen with every stride while Siam Royal Orchid was alarmingly making heavy weather of it.

The chances of a turnaround appeared remote even with Siam Royal Orchid still chipping away at the margin under Kok's hard graft but at the 1 f, Yulong Green suddenly shortened strides.

The leader buckled, and the favourite backers could finally erupt as Siam Royal Orchid lunged at the line to post a gutsy last-gasp win with a neck to spare from Yulong Green. Clarton Treasure (Daniel Moor) ran third another half-length away.

Winning trainer Michael Clements admitted to some very edgy moments during the 1min 12.89secs that the Polytrack 6 f race took to settle the issue.

"He's a genuine horse over the course and distance and Simon is riding with so much confidence. It was a good effort from both jockey and horse," said Clements.

"At the top of the straight, the horse was focused on the finishing line and had to work his way to get there.

"He's a horse that loves to get rolling. He had a fair bit of racing and I may give him a freshen-up now."

Kok was at a race-to-race double after kicking off this Chinese New Year meeting with a win aboard $15 favourite My Boss for Mok Zhan Lun in the $30,000 Year Of The Rat Stakes, a Class 5 Division 1 race over 1100m.

"He jumped off the gates well, but he doesn't ping to go forward like last time," said Kok who becomes the first jockey, both in the Kranji senior and junior ranks, to hit the double-figure score this season.

"Coming to the first bend at the 4 f, I was worried he would not find more, especially when Yulong Green kicked clear at the top of the straight, but luckily, he kept on finding.

"I think he needs more distance as well."

Siam Royal Orchid has now taken his handy record to three wins and five placings from 10 starts for prizemoney that has tipped over the $130,000 mark for the Pupetch Racing Stable.