Grandera, partnered by World Champion jockey Frankie Dettori, powered home to win the third leg of the 2002 World Series Racing Championship - the Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji Racecourse on Saturday evening over 2000 metres.

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Grandera raced in mid-division and as the field turned for home Dettori asked the son of Grand Lodge to quicken and the colt obliged and went on to win by two lengths from the Andreas Wohler-trained Paolini. Grandera now leads the World Series with 14 points, with three times World Series winner Dettori in the lead on 18 points.

After the race Dettori said, "He was a very consistent horse in Europe last year. The race set up very well for him and he ran up to his best of last year. 300 metres out I was one and a half lengths off Paolini and when I asked him he delivered. It is great to win here again."

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford commented, "That was great, he's come on from Hong Kong (where he finished fifth in the second leg of the World Series) and will be a very nice international horse for us. I am not sure of his next run but he could well be aimed at the Arlington Million (the fifth leg of the 2002 World Series)".

Drama unfolded turning into the home turn as the Australian challenger Universal Prince fell, thankfully both horse and jockey, Justin Sheehan, were back on their feet soon after.

Paolini, ridden by Andreas Suborics, was drawn in stall 14 but moved into the 13 stall due to the withdrawal of the Dubai Duty Free winner Terre A Terre. As the gates opened Suborics held Paolini up and moved into the rail where he stayed before running on well to take second and six World Series points

Suborics said, "I had a perfect trip. I had to cross to the inner from my wide draw. He made ground very easily and in fact came to the lead too soon, but the winner won well in the end, so it made no difference."

Ivan Allan's campaigner Indigenous ran a blinding race to take third place, the same spot he filled in the second leg of the World Series - the AP Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong.

Allan said, "I am very pleased with both my horses, Olympic Express is improving. Last year he would have been lengths behind Grandera but his performance shows he is closing that gap. Indigenous has run another very honest race. I would love to be able to put his heart into a three-year-old."

England's Hawkeye finished in fifth place and trainer Michael Jarvis said, "I am not too disappointed. I think he will now benefit from stepping up in distance to a mile and a half."

The next stop in the 2002 World Series Racing Championship is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot, England on July 27th.