The Singapore Pools Trophy may be the supporting act to the Group 1 Coronation Cup (1,600m) on Nov 16, but to reigning Malaysian champion trainer Simon Dunderdale, it is anything but a consolation cup.

The Kuala Lumpur-based New Zealander would have actually loved to revisit Ipoh’s mile feature to keep a good run going. He joined the honour roll in 2023 with Good Fight, and nearly went back-to-back if not for an in-form Mega Gems raining down on his parade last year.