The old marvel Cheval Blanc is back on top of his game just when his connections were thinking about retiring him!

“I told the owners that we will give him (Cheval Blanc) one more run and if he runs badly, we will retire him,” said trainer Frank Maynard.

“And he performed like that. What a horse he has been. It (the win) was fantastic.”

Unplaced in three starts since winning the Piala Emas Sultan Selangor last Dec 1, the 10-year-old accounted for a Supreme A field over 1400m at Sungai Besi today.

The Irish gelding by Red Jazz caught the eye when he came from last to finish fifth to Noah Khan in the Tunku Gold Cup (1200m) – a race he won last year – three weeks ago.

With last-start winner, former Singapore galloper Energy Baby, all the rage in the seven-horse field (after the scratching of Awesome Storm), Cheval Blanc went off at generous odds (RM21 on the tote).

Witnessimpact as usual shot to the front after the jump but was soon joined by debutant, former Singapore group performer Mr Black Back, and the pair made a breakaway making the turn out of the back straight. They led by five lengths from Flawless at the 800m.

Cheval Blanc, meanwhile, settled nicely in fourth spot.

Witnessimpact was just ahead of Mr Black Back going into the straight with the rest of the field closing in on the leaders.

Witnessimpact beat off Mr Black Back and took a two-length lead at the 400m with Flawless coming through between them. Cheval Blanc was poised for his challenge three lengths away.

Flawless raced past a tiring Witnessimpact at the 200m. Cheval Blanc, now starting to hit top gear, soon loomed large on the outside with Mr Black Back raising another effort and coming in again at Flawless.

Cheval Blanc raced past Flawless with 100m to go and drew away in the run home to win by 4-1/4 lengths. Flawless held on for second, just ahead of Mr Black Back.

“What a beautiful horse he (Cheval Blanc) is. He is such a kind horse and great to have him in the barn,” said Maynard.

“After the jump, I settled him in midfield and I could see that the two front horses were going very fast,” said jockey Lim Shung Uai who also won the Tunku Gold Cup (1200m) last year on the grey.

“So I just sat patiently where I was. In the straight I took him out for his run and he responded well.”

Cheval Blanc has now picked up six wins in Malaysia after winning just once in Singapore.