Jockey Stephen Baster holds three-year-old Mr Big in the highest esteem after the gelding provided the Australian rider with his first black-type win in Singapore.

Baster will be hoping Mr Big can add to it further by capturing the Group 1 Lion City Cup over 1200m on Sunday.

Mr Big provided Baster, who only commenced riding duties in Singapore in January, with his first feature race victory when they combined to take out the Group 3 Kranji Sprint over 1200m on April 8 – the second leg of the Singapore Sprint Series.

The Lion City Cup wraps up the Series on Sunday and is the perfect lead-up for the Group 1 $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m in three weeks time.

Baster knows Mr Big faces an enormous task if he is to topple Rocket Man – gunning for a fourth straight Lion City Cup – on Sunday but knows the three-year-old will give his all.

Mr Big is yet to finish out of the money in a 12 start career that has seen him successful on seven occasions.

Baster has been aboard Mr Big in three of his starts. He finished third behind Excavator in a 1200m Open Handicap on February 17 before successfully riding the gelding to victory at his last two outings – including a record breaking 1100m victory on the Polytrack before his Kranji Sprint success.

Not living up to his name of Mr Big, Baster said the gelding was only a “little fella” but one with a “big heart”.

“He's tough,” said Baster. “He doesn't like them going past him. If something looks like going past him then he'll fight them off.

“He's a real little bulldog and you've got to love that attitude.”

Baster has struck up a successful relationship with the gelding and partnered the three-year-old in his final track gallop on the turf on Wednesday morning.

Pairing with fellow three-year-old and another Lion City Cup contender in Masthead, the duo had a good workout.

“He had his main gallop with Masthead on the grass on Wednesday,” said Baster.

“Both worked quite nicely but we don't want any rain before the race. Although he won on a soft track last time I think he's better on firmer going.

“Obviously Rocket Man is going to be hard to beat but they all end up getting beaten sometime.

“I've just got to hope that Rocket Man has an off day. He's had to travel back from Dubai and maybe that might have some effect on him.

“But judging by his trial the other day he looks to have travelled back really well, so we all will probably be running for second placing.

“Still my horse has drawn a good barrier. He has good pace out of the gates so he'll put himself right in the race and hopefully I can give him a good ride from there.”

Mr Big has proven a hit since his first start as a two-year-old almost 12 months ago for trainer Michael Freedman and went through the early stages of his career unbeaten.

After winning on debut, Mr Big backed-up a week later to claim the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe over 1200m during the Singapore international weekend of racing.

A short break ensured and Mr Big returned to capture the Group 3 Magic Millions Juvenile Championship first-up at the end of July over 1200m.

In his three starts as a two-year-old Mr Big took out the only two “black type” events for the “babies” which in turn earned him Champion Two-Year-Old honours for last season.