Birthday celebrations seem to be in vogue these days. After Oscar Chavez toasted to his 41st birthday on Friday with Good News, it was apprentice jockey Desmond Chan Wei Sheng’s turn to blow some candles with a winner, albeit one day before.

Trainer Leslie Khoo’s apprentice had double the reason to jubilate given it was his first win since coming back from a record four consecutive suspensions for careless riding which added to a month on the sidelines in July.

Chan, whose last visit to the Kranji winner’s circle came aboard Hongchen on June 14, was over the moon with his fifth winner of the year, especially as he had to get this one aboard the Brian Dean-trained Jet Man ($55) in the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1100m by the scruff of the neck.

The US-bred five-year-old, who himself has endured a lean run, having not scored for more than two years, looked to be stuck at the one spot behind Super Bonus (Mark Ewe) 200m from the wire. But when Fast Jet (Chavez) suddenly drew on terms on his outside, Chan’s mount found a second gear as he lunged between runners to land the spoils by a short head from Super Bonus, with Fast Jet third separated by the same margin.

The winning time was 1min 6.04secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.

“It’s been a long time since my last winner. I can’t even remember when it was,” said Chan.

“The four suspensions were a big blow to me. It’s been tough watching from outside but I’m happy I’ve won a race again.

“What’s even better, it’s one day before my 28th birthday. My wife will be very happy!”

Chan said the battle plan from Dean was to find a good spot early, which he said he was luckily able to achieve when he sat in third place behind the leader Super Bonus.

“I was able to get a good run behind the lead. He looked like he was not going to make it for a while,” said Chan.

“But I then started to ride him hands and heels and he started to pick up very well. On the line, I knew I got it.”

Dean said even if Jet Man had not made it in time, he would have fired in a protest.

“The kid got cut off and he had to stop riding. I would have objected,” said Dean.

“But it was okay in the end. This horse has not won for a while and it was a well-deserved win today.”

Jet Man, a five-year-old by Indy Wind, recorded his two previous wins for ex-Kranji trainer Sam Chua, and was at his first success for Dean. He has now brought up stakes earnings close to $190,000 for his owners, the Jet Racing Stable.