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Both connections and punters were pleased with the results after three-time trial winner Big Return gets on the board for the first time in the $75,000 Novice race (1400m) on Sunday.

Punters were rewarded with a healthy winning payout of $56 after the Divine Prophet three-year-old won while trainer Jerome Tan was just glad it did not take Big Return  too long to show his wares.

The Cat Racing Stable-owned gelding showed promise by winning all three trials under jockey Bernardo Pinheiro prior to his debut but had excuses at his first two starts.

Big Return jumped slowly out of the gates and was keen at his debut run in a Restricted Maiden race (1200m) last month while a wide run from barrier 10 in an Open Maiden race (1200m) last Sunday saw his condition gave out in the homestraight, albeit he still hung on well for third. 

The vindication for Big Return came a week later at his first win after a good draw in barrier one and the attempt to lead went to plan accordingly.

Ridden by first-time partner and reigning champion apprentice jockey Jerlyn Seow, Big Return broke swiftly from gate one and landed in front with little trouble. Favourite Cheval Pegasus (Bruno Queiroz) sat in third about sixth lengths away while Supreme Liner (Manoel Nunes) settled just ahead of him.

There were no signs of letting up from Big Return as the field turned for home. Supreme Liner wound up too late and was beaten two-and-a-half lengths into second while Speith Heroine (Krisna Thangamani) flew home late on the outside to finish in third another one-and-three-quarter lengths away.

The winning time was 1 min 23.55secs for the 1400m on the Short Course.

Tan was grinning from ear to ear after Big Return  successfully caught his rivals napping in the race but had his reservations about the extra furlong before the race.

"Luckily, he jumped well this time," said the Singaporean conditioner.

"At his first start, he jumped like hell (slow) and at his second start, he went six-wide, but this time, he had the rails to guide him.

"There's no speed in the race so he was going to lead, but the question was if he can last the trip (first run on 1400m)? In the end, he proved he could.

"He was supposed to go to Hong Kong but he missed the kick in one race (debut run) and that deal didn't go through."

Seow, who pulled off a double on Sunday after taking out the opener atop her master trainer Jason Ong's Lucky Hero  ($33) in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race (1000m), said listening to the instructions from Tan paid off.

"Jerome said the horse can run keen, so we must jump well and then get a soft lead," said the Singaporean female apprentice jockey, who currently leads the apprentice jockeys' log on 16 wins.

"That was my first ride on him. He ran quite keenly. I expected myself to lead but not to such a big extent, though I knew we were quite far ahead.

"At the 300m, he kept going and still have a lot of petrol left in his tank. In my opinion, he can go over longer."

With that first win from three starts, Big Return has taken his earnings to over $40,000 for connections.