When the handicaps for today's meeting were released on Monday evening, champion jockey Vlad Duric must have smiled with glee.

Not only has he a book of good rides, but also what was most important was the two top horses offered to him did not clash in the same race. They are placed in the two different divisions of the $70,000 Class 3 events over 1,200m on turf.

His last-start winner Rocket Star is engaged in the Division 1 affair in Race 10 and his new equine associate, Champion Juvenile Inferno, is in the Division 2 section in Race 7.

Inferno, tipped as the best bet by many racing pundits, was ridden by jockey Michael Rodd in his four consecutive wins and a second from as many starts.

But Rodd has since relinquished his Kranji licence to return to Australia because of the long racing lockdown in Singapore.

Duric has now tied up with the Cliff Brown-trained prolific sprinter. He must have heaved a big sigh of relief that the horse is not competing in the same race as the Ricardo Le Grange-trained Rocket Star, another potential champion in the making.

"I'm really looking forward to riding Inferno in a race. I'm also very fortunate he's not in the same race as Rocket Star and Mr Malek," said the Australian.

"I feel Inferno is in the slightly weaker race, but he's first-up, and we still have to see how he progresses."

The Barree-Stable-owned Inferno was undefeated in his first four starts, including the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe and the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes, both over 1,200m on turf.

At his last start on Feb 29, the four-year-old, who is seen as the potential successor to the stable's Horse of the Year Debt Collector, beat all but Siam Warrior in a Class 3 race over 1,200m.

He had good reasons for his defeat. He had to cover extra ground after jumping from a wide barrier and was carried wider by horses on his inside during the running.

But he finished with the similar turbo-charged finish of Debt Collector to be 13/4 lengths behind the winner. Debt Collector is now racing in Australia as Debt Agent.

Duric has been working regularly on Inferno. He is pleased with the good preparation, including a fantastic win in the second of his two trials, for today's assignment.

"He's had a really good prep. I rode him in a quiet trial and, in the second one, I gave him a squeeze up the straight in the last 200m and he gave me a fantastic feeling," he said.

"He's furnished and matured, and I'm really excited to ride him."

Duric, who has 12 rides in today's 14-race programme and will miss tomorrow week's Kranji Mile meeting because of a one-day careless riding suspension, reckoned Rocket Star's biggest threat is the Lee Freedman-trained Mr Malek. His challenger is unbeaten in four starts after his debut third.

"The other Class 3 race is a great race, Mr Malek is a classy four-year-old, and there isn't much between him and Rocket Star," said Duric, who was aboard Mr Malek in one of the victories.

"Rocket Star, however, has the fitness edge over Mr Malek as he's already won first-up. That could be the telling factor."

Mr Malek has not raced since scoring on March 20 with Patrick Moloney astride. The Oscar Racing Stable-owned gelding will have A'Isisuhairi Kasim aboard for the first time.

Although Mr Malek has not raced for 41/2 months, Freedman reckoned the rising star is among his horses who have thrived during the Covid-19 lockdown.

"This break has not had many positives in general, but it did have some positive effect on some horses, and Mr Malek is one of them," said the 2018 Singapore champion trainer.

"He has adjusted very well to the break and seems to have come out in even better shape. He's drawn in six, which is not a bad draw. He's a horse who gets onto the speed."

The Australian Hall of Fame trainer added that he was very happy with Mr Malek's final gallop on Wednesday.

So, Mr Malek or Rocket Star? Or will there be an upset?

We'll know after 4.30pm today.