Platinum Emperor resumed after a three-month break to rule the Mitavite Asia Cup at Sungai Besi today.

Marc Lerner rode a superb race on the Sweynesse gelding in the Metro A event over 1400m, settling the gelding down in midfield early.

King Of Sixty-One and January shared the lead on settling down and led from Cavalry and Kanthaka racing together. Then came Contarelli and Fortune Wheel, Platinum Emperor and Golden Bar.

King Of Sixty-One and January matched strides making the turn into the straight with Kanthaka and Calvary right behind them. Platinum Emperor had made up good ground on the home bend and is now poised to strike in fifth at the top of the straight.

King Of Sixty-One, January, Cavalry, Kanthaka and Platinum Emperor were almost in a line at the 400m, but soon the two early leaders had run their race and began to drop back.

Calvary and Platinum Emperor broke away from the rest with 200m to go to fight out the finish, with Platinum Emperor going slightly better to win by half a length.

A debut winner in Malaysia back in February, the former Macau galloper ran third to Noah Khan in the Tunku Gold Cup (1200m) a month later and has not raced since.

“He (Platinum Emperor) had some health issues so we gave him plenty of time to recover,” said trainer Ricky Choi.

“He needed the run but Marc Lerner rode him well. It was our plan that he settled off the pace and come home. He will be better over a longer trip.”

Costing just NZ$29,000 as a yearling, Platinum Emperor won eight races in two seasons in Macau, winning from 1200m to 1800m.

“I tried to ride him more forward than he used to,” said Lerner.

“But over today’s (long) course, I was also wary not to hit the front too early. He was quite relax during the race. On class, he was the best horse in the race. Hopefully he can win a big one here.”