There was a bit of buzz around Mortal Engine’s racing future following his winning debut at Singapore’s first raceday of the year, but Michael Clements’ new find went missing for almost a year, only to resurface this week, one meeting short of bookending the 2021 season.

As is often the case with such prolonged absences, injury and surgery were the causes, but Clements was glad to report that the Unencumbered four-year-old has fully recovered, and can hopefully reboot his promising racing career without any further hiccup.

Whether he can also loop the loop with another win in Saturday's $50,000 Class 4 race over 1200m is another issue altogether, though.

The Singapore champion trainer said that the racing comeback was already a victory in itself, and a first-up win a bonus, but he's realistically looking at next year for the best of the Tivic Stable-owned gelding to emerge.

"After his last run, he didn't look comfortable from the knees. We thought he could get away with it with some rest, and we then brought him back in training," said Clements, who is all set to hand over the title to Mark Walker, whom he trails by nine winners going into the penultimate meeting.

"But it soon became evident he still had trouble with the knees and needed surgery. They were cleaned out, he had another rest and came back to training.

"He had one trial last week (November 9) and he went really well. Usually, I give them one more trial, but he went that well and wasn't blowing that I decided he was up to having a run this week.

"I'd have liked to give him another trial, but with the season closing, we thought let's just run him."

Clements conceded it was not the ideal scenario for preparing a horse towards a two-from-two, but expected a first run under the belt will give him a good guide where he is at, and will gear him up for next year.

To give himself every chance, he has also booked comeback jockey Manoel Nunes for Saturday's ride.

The three-time Singapore champion jockey, who is now one win shy of the 500-win milestone at Kranji, will be reuniting with those red and black chevrons colours that took him to several Group features aboard Stepitup in 2015.

"Obviously, there'll be some queries, and him going up in Class 4 is also a question mark," he said.

"But he's a horse who showed us a lot of potential, and I think he'll be up to the mark. (Manoel) Nunes will ride him, and also rode him in trackwork; he's quite happy with him."

Asked if he was happy with the runs of his seven-strong squad in last Sunday's Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) where his first across the line was Big Hearted in sixth spot, Clements said they should be judged relative to the opposition.

"I'm actually quite happy with Big Hearted 's and Top Knight 's (ninth) runs. They were my best hopes and So Hi Class's (seventh) also ran well," said Clements.

"One should realise that last year when they raced in Group company, the opposition was not as strong as this year against the likes of Lim's Lightning and Hard Too Think.

"This is a lot stronger Group company, and to be fair, they've been running consistently behind these horses this year. I think they were as good as they were last year.

"The other thing is both Big Hearted and Top Knight go well on rain-affected tracks which they got last year, but this year the three races (Raffles Cup, Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Singapore Gold Cup) were all run on dry tracks."