Iconnic is misspelled deliberately as it is actually an anagram of his sire Nicconi, but the promising three-year-old was in no mood to mess around on Sunday when he lapped his rivals in the $65,000 Initiation race over 1200m.

Reverting to turf after two unsuccessful outings over Polytrack following a gelding operation, Iconnic (Corey Brown) gave his seven rivals no chance of a look-in from a long way out.

Jumping smartly from his middle gate, Iconnic landed in front with little fuss to dictate terms with Suvarnabhumi (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) next in line, followed by Dragon Bobo (Danny Beasley). It was already clear that the $13 favourite would be hard to beat, so easy was his action as he made play unchallenged.

Turning for home, the Michael Freedman-trained gelding confirmed that impression the moment Brown released the handbrakes. Putting in the big bounds effortlessly, he just romped away to an easy 4 ½-length win, leaving his rivals battling for the minors in his wake.

Dragon Bobo won the runner-up spot by a nose from Silver Star (Joseph See) who made ground from worse than midfield to finish third, an encouraging run from a future perspective.

The winning time was 1min 10.02secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.

Freedman said he believed the switch back to turf was the key factor and that maiden win at his fifth start was much needed to boost his confidence in future endeavours.

“He had two runs back on Polytrack after he was gelded and I think that first run on turf made the difference,” said the Australian trainer.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of him especially after he put in a couple of nice runs at his first prep, but I guess he’s been one of those horses who take a bit longer to reach his best.

“Corey and I discussed about taking the blinkers off him today but I was a bit concerned he would overrace without them over 1200m and we left them on. He did overrace a little but he was travelling comfortably without spinning his wheels.

“I may give him a break as there won’t be any turf race until two weeks’ time. It’s probably a good time to give him a let-up and bring him back next season for the Three-Year-Old series.”

Freedman would certainly love to replicate the success he has enjoyed in the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge with Super Easy in 2012, especially for an owner who did have another smart three-year-old in the same year, but who charted his own path and ran a cracking second to Ato in the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) that year: Mr Big.

“I bought Iconnic at the Magic Millions Ready-To-Run last year, at the same sale where I also bought Mr Big for the same owners,” he said.

“It would be good if we could get another smart horse for them, and this one seems to be going in the right direction.”

Though Iconnic was only at his fifth outing, Brown believed he should have shed his maiden status much earlier.

“Finally, he ran like the good horse we always thought he was,” said the Australian jockey, who earlier flew in from the Victoria Derby meeting in Melbourne with a second aboard Big Memory in the Lexus Stakes as his best result.

“With the strong ability he showed us on the tracks, put it this way, I thought he would have gone bang, bang, bang and won at least two races by now, even if I know he’s only lightly-raced.

“He had some time off after he was gelded, and maybe he improved during that time. Today, he jumped and travelled, he was still a bit immature, but he put it all together for once.

“I think he’s a horse who should have the blinkers off ideally, but as he was going back on turf, we decided to leave them on.”

Brown for one is convinced Iconnic can go over more ground than his sprinter sire Nicconi, a Group 1 Lightning Stakes winner, who somehow does not have many progeny in Singapore (only four including Iconnic).

“I would say he will get more ground for sure,” he said. “He’s got a nice future but he will have to keep improving.”

The Freedman-Brown combination were back in the winner's circle three races later with Titanium, but not without a passage via the Stewards' room.

Hanging in badly in the home straight, Titanium, the $13 favourite in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1600m, bumped with In Fact 50m from home, which prompted an objection from the latter's jockey, John Powell, against the winner.

Both riders put up solid arguments during a 10-minute hearing, but Brown's defence got the nod, allowing him and Freedman to keep the race and the double.

“There was contact, but it was just a brush. Nice horse, but he still has a lot to learn,” said Brown.