Trainer Pascal Bary is confident Smoking Sun can secure the right run from which to launch a winning bid in Sunday's SIA Cup in Singapore.
Bary, who has won Group One races around the world,is no stranger to Singapore having twice contested the race with Gloria De Campeao, winning in 2009, but things are very different this time around.
Gloria De Campeao was no stranger to travel, racing in five separate countries in a career highlighted by his 2010 Dubai World Cup success, but for Smoking Sun this is a maiden voyage away from his homeland France.
"It's all a bit different. Gloria De Campaeo was used to going everywhere in the world," Bary told Racing And Sports.
"This is Smoking Sun's first time out of France.
"Hopefully he is well. Stephane (jockey Stephane Pasquier) gets in Friday and he knows him well."
The firm Kranji surface, provided recent rain doesn't have any great effect, is set to prove ideal for Smoking Sun with connections suggesting the firmer the better for him in the lead-up to Sunday.
The barrier draw, however, was not so kind with Smoking Sun drawing second from the outside but with a strong gallop predicted barriers will hopefully play no meaningful role.
"With that number (barrier eleven) we have to give him a chance at the beginning," said Bary.
"The best horse in the race has number ten, Military Attack, so we follow him."
Tokei Halo is expected to lead the race from barrier nine but Bary has little doubt who the horse to beat is.
"It is Military Attack. He's the horse to beat."