After an absence of more than a year, the Raffles Racing Stable is all set to make a racing comeback at Kranji.

The global outfit run by Malaysian businessman Dato Yap Kim San left the local racing scene shortly after the pandemic struck last year, but still maintained their presence up North in his hometown.

Horses like Sacred Croix, Sacred Rebel , Savvy Command, Sacred Judgement  or I Am Sacred  were sold to their trainer Mark Walker to continue their Singapore racing career under the Remarkable Stable, while others like Sacred Don and Sacred Sham were shipped across the Causeway to the Raffles Racing's Penang trainer Frank Maynard.

Then, out of the blue, Sacred Rebel popped up at the barrier trials on Tuesday under trainer Jerome Tan's name and featuring as owner… the Raffles Racing Stable!

The Sepoy seven-year-old raced as recently as August 18 under the Remarkable Stable banner for Walker, but has now come full circle to his original owner.

Ridden by Tan's new Malaysian apprentice jockey Mohd Akmazani, the six-time winner, all over Polytrack, during his time with Walker, latched onto pacesetter Pindus  (Danny Beasley) before racing past to go and take out the barrier trial with half-a-length to spare from Minister (A'Isisuhairi Kasim).

Tan was excited to be renewing ties with not only a long-time partner during his early training days in Penang, but the only owner to have supplied him with a big-race win in a training career that began in Malaysia.

"I've known Dato Yap for a long time. We won the Perak Derby (2012) together with Mr Ambassador," said Tan.

"He left Singapore because of COVID-19, but he's making a comeback now. He got Sacred Rebel back and sent him to me.

"The highest-rated horse I had before was First Chief (Cao Cao), but Sacred Rebel is by far the highest-rated on 85.

"He's not so young anymore, though, but he came to me in good shape, and he won a barrier trial on Tuesday.

"There is a Class 2 race over 1100m on October 30. I'll probably work towards that race for him.

"I may have to give him one more trial."

Tan said the return of a prominent owner known worldwide for his most famous horse and stallion (now deceased), Doncaster Handicap winner Sacred Falls, shines like a beacon of light in those dark times racing is going through.

"It's great to see Raffles Racing come back and support Singapore racing again. We will get to see their original colours (purple Raffles Racing logo on yellow, with purple and white checked sleeves and cap) again," said Tan.