It has been baby steps on the country circuit for trainer Cliff Brown since his return from Singapore.
But on Saturday at Caulfield, Brown will unveil the best horse in his stable when The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor) runs in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m).
How the form from Singapore translates to Australia is something Brown is keen to learn, although he has noted previously former Singapore horses are a rung or two below their Australian counterparts.
But The Inferno is a winner of eight of his nine starts and Brown’s gut feeling is the gelding will measure up to Australian company.
Racing Victoria handicappers think enough of his ability to have given him a rating of 100 and as such he is the second-highest handicapped horse in Saturday’s race.
“The significant thing is we’re giving away weight to some very nice horses and I think it is very difficult,” Brown said.
“I just want to see a nice race, have another run, and then I think we can analyse and say ‘yes we are OK or reassess and come back’.
“Nine times out of 10 the form doesn’t hold up as strong as it is in Singapore as it does back here.
“But my gut feel is he’s a nice horse, with good ability. I think he’ll measure up, but until you get to the races and have a couple of runs, you don’t know.
“He’s fine. He eats well, he’s worked well, he’s done everything right.”
The Inferno won six of his seven tries over 1200m including Singapore’s biggest sprint, the Lion City Cup last October, the last time the gelding raced.
A trip from Brown’s Mornington base to Caulfield last Thursday for a jump-out has assisted The Inferno’s fitness levels and the trainer will learn a lot more about his charge after Saturday’s race.
“We’re going into the unknown,” Brown said.
Bred by Westbury Stud, The Inferno was purchased by Brown out of the farm’s 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft for $140,000.
