Veteran jockey Saifudin Ismail dug deep into his wealth of experience to lift $60 chance Caribbean Lady first across the line on Sunday, but humbly said he was just going with the flow regarding the crucial moments he had to think on his feet during the race.

The 53-year-old Malaysian rider arguably won the $70,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 1600m on Polytrack in the middle sections when, instead of pressing on from his early urgings on the Your Song six-year-old to settle on the steel, he surprisingly throttled the motor down into idle mode, happy to hold a neck advantage on Axel (Jerlyn Seow Poh Hui) who had secured the rails run on his inside.

Was the wily jockey eschewing the forward momentum towards an outright lead for a midrace breather?

Not quite, as Saifudin would later reveal, but regardless, the move ultimately proved to be the difference between winning and losing at the business end.

"The mare jumped quite fast and I took advantage of that early speed by going forward," said Saifudin.

"I actually wanted to cut to the fence in the backstraight, but we couldn't get in as the other horse (Axel) was there.

"So, I decided to stay there one-off the rails, but at the same time, I slowed down the pace in order to save as much energy as possible.

"It's only from the second corner at the 800m that I started to give her more rein."

That was when Pennywise (Wong Chin Chuen), who had all the while enjoyed a ground-saving run in third, came eye-balling Caribbean Lady with an ominous surge to the point of the turn.

Most, including Saifudin, thought it was game over, but Takaoka's mare still had the bit between the teeth. She was not about to concede defeat so easily.

The last 300m saw an epic battle waged between the two competitors till the end, with the big yellow hooded head of Caribbean Lady gaining back the upperhand and always holding a slender margin thereafter.

Interestingly, Saifudin, who is usually known for his vigorous Australian-style whip-riding, was seen coaxing Caribbean Lady to the line without the persuader, bar the last few strides.

It turned out to be more a case of "necessity being the mother of invention", in a manner of speaking. As the two horses went neck and neck, the restricted room in between forced Saifudin to think out of the box.

"At the 300m, I couldn't pull the whip as the other horse was too close, and when I rode her hands and heels, I noticed that she was responding nicely," he said.

"So, I just kept pushing and pushing, and it's only in the last 100m that I could pull the whip."

As the camera flashed, a nose split Caribbean Lady from Pennywise, the 2019 Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1600m) who was returning to his pet Polytrack. King Louis (Marc Lerner) ran third another 2 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 38.62secs for the Polytrack mile.

Takaoka praised Saifudin's masterful ride, emphasising on the one previous sit on the mare as the clincher. To the Japanese mentor, that last start when third to Sound The Siren in a similar race but for Class 4 gallopers three weeks ago was all it took for the experienced hoop to suss her out.

"Saifudin was riding the mare for the second time. He already got the rhythm on her," he said.

"With the light weight (52kgs), she was able to keep going. I actually thought that Pennywise would win for sure when he levelled up in the home straight, but credit to the mare when she fought back.

"I don't think the hood had anything to do with it. It's the jockey who won the race, Saifudin is an old jockey, but he is still very powerful."

Saifudin played down Takaoka's cheeky words of praise as well as the "ride of the day" award, saying it was just luck, but the master tactician did agree that the benefit of hindsight form the first ride on Caribbean Lady helped tremendously.

"Mr Takaoka is too kind. I was just lucky," he said.

"But it's true that the first ride helped me today. I went a bit too quick that day and she faded.

"I was able to rate her better today. The mare was fit and all the credit should go to Takaoka and his staff."

Caribbean Lady has now taken her record to four wins, four seconds and four thirds from 30 starts for stakes earnings in excess of the $190,000 mark for the Suzuka Racing Stable.