Trainer Dan Meagher has tempered expectations on Singapore champion Lim’s Kosciuszko, set to make his Australian debut on Saturday at Flemington in the Listed Straight Six (1200m).

Lim’s Kosciuszko, a 10-time Singapore domestic Group 1 winner, has opened $6.50 for the Flemington sprint.

“He’s been a great horse – to be honest, he was probably peaking 12-18 months ago,” Meagher said.

“He’s taken a while to acclimatise here, he’s not young, seven turning eight and done a little bit of travelling to Hong Kong and back twice … he’s ready to race, I just have a query on how he’s going.

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“He’s been a really deceiving horse all his life, he doesn’t do much in his track work … his jumpouts have been OK, but I would love to have seen him do a little bit more in his trials.

“It’s a bit of a learning curve on Saturday on where he’s at … on rating and right form he would run super in this type of race, he’s a very good horse, I just have a question mark on where he’s at.”

King Zephyr, trained by Grahame Begg, opened $2.40 favourite from Adelaide raider Aviatress ($5), Lim’s Kosciuszko ($6.50) and Running By ($7.50).

Lim’s Kosciuszko dominated Singapore racing the past five seasons with 22 wins from 30 starts.

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The $4.2m prizemoney earner’s haul includes a perfect – albeit deceptive – first-up record (7:7-0-0).

Horses in Singapore, prior to the cessation of the Lion City’s 180-year racing history last October, largely stayed in work with short breaks between runs due to an absence of spelling facilities.

“He’s never ever had a spell longer than three weeks,” Meagher said.

“In Asia you don’t have paddocks or the facility to go out … he’s had to stop and basically stand still. This is a real test for him. He hadn’t been out of work for four years and won all those races.

“He’s definitely first-up (this time), he’ll definitely need the run.”

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Forecast rain on Saturday – up to nine millimetres – is also a slight worry.

“In Singapore we never had a wet track,” Meagher said.

“It’s such a tropical climate and the ground dried out so quickly, I don’t know what the form says on the internet (2-2), but he’s never been on a Soft track, I guarantee you that.

“A Soft in Singapore would be a Good 4 (here) basically. He was on a Soft track the other day at Moe and I didn’t think he was that well on it but anyway that’s the reality of it, he’s a racehorse.

“He’s a good horse, he’s a winner and if he’s still go that fire in his belly he’ll run well.”