Horse of the Year MAYO’S MUSIC bounced back to form in style to capture the A$50,000 Chairman’s Trophy over 1,800m at Kranji here today.

The seven-year-old bay Australian gelding by Procol Harum out of Mayo Million (by Royal Troubador) had a marvellous 2004 season when he won the Kranji Mile and the Raffles Cup, and has seven second placings including the Singapore Gold Cup last November.

Unplaced in three starts over shorter trips earlier this year, MAYO’S MUSIC appreciated the extra journey today to win comfortably from DIAMOND DUST (4 b.j.g Lively One - Shinko Grace by Sakura Yutako O) with SUPERIOR WARRIOR (5 b.nz.g I Conquer - Fleet Dream by Khozaam) third.

The other ‘big guns’ in the race - RAUL, EXAGGERATE, QUE EXPRESION, MOON SHADOW and LEAD TO VICTORY all fell by the wayside in the soft going.

Meanwhile, last season record-breaking trainer Laurie Laxon moved into the lead in the table when he sent out VALERIAN (5 b.ir.g Perugino - Liberty Song by Last Tycoon) to victory in the Class 4 - 1,800m handicap.