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Impressive debut winner Mesmerizing is being taken up a notch towards a tougher assignment in the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1800m this Saturday, but connections remained reasonably confident of another bold showing, especially over more ground.

The Argentinian-bred four-year-old entire by Cosmic Trigger had not been as plugged as his fellow South American import, three-time Uruguayan winner (1100m to 1200m) Sing Our Song (ex-Pissarro), but he went on to completely overshadow his fellow Toast Trusts newcomer.

Still a maiden but placed several times over a trip in Argentina, Mesmerizing (ex-Personal Skill) gave his Open Maiden rivals an absolute pounding at his first Kranji start in a mile race on September 25.

Even if his Kranji barrier trials had not set the world on fire, a little bit of specking ($31) suggested some have picked up on his promising Argentinian record of one second (2000m) and three thirds (1500m to 2000m) from six starts.

On the other hand, Sing Our Song was well backed at his first start, but all the hoopla has fallen a little flat with two unplaced runs in as many starts.

"It ain't over till the fat lady sings," would be a fitting adage if Toast Trusts' point man Stephen Crutchley's appraisal was anything to go by.

Even for Mesmerizing , despite the dazzling win that lived up to his name, he said it was too early to pass judgement.

In an ideal world, Leslie Khoo's assistant-trainer would like to see Mesmerizing frank the form and Sing Our Song improve with two runs under the belt – an answer he will get within half-an-hour this Saturday with Sing Our Song stepping out straight after Mesmerizing in the last event, the $50,000 Class 4 race (1400m).

Obviously, the stress factor may be higher when a horse has to prove a dominant first-up win was no fluke, but Crutchley believed Mesmerizing should lap up the extra furlong, albeit the likes of King's Command, Rambo and Tiger Leap are a different kettle of fish.

"Mesmerizing has trained on. He's going well," he said.

"Straight after his last win, we saw that 1800m race as his next target. It'll be interesting to see how he goes against better horses.

"I'm not too worried about the grass. He raced well on grass in Argentina, he came from well back and nearly won.

"Sing Our Song is also well. I think he has improved after two starts, and I also think he needs more distance even if his record in Uruguay is over sprint.

"Both his riders (A'Isisuhairi Kasim and Yusoff Fadzli) came back and told us he didn't really like the way he was ridden at his two starts.

"I think he's a horse you should just let him build and find his own speed, whereas we rode him as a sprinter thus far. He has to come into the race."

The Khoo-Crutchley duo is also fitting the Brazilian-bred five-year-old entire by Midshipman with a shadow roll in the hope it will enhance his tractability, along with a "softer" pair of hands.

"We won't just ride him different, but we're also making a gear change. He'll have a shadow roll on," said Crutchley, a former trainer in his own right in New Zealand before he moved to Singapore around a decade ago.

"He tried that in his trackwork and he was a different horse. We're putting (apprentice jockey) Jerlyn (Seow Poh Hui) on for the claim (three kilos off 58kgs) and also because she's got really good hands.

"Jimmy (Wong Chin Chuen) stays on Mesmerizing as he rode him really well the last time and won."

While a berth for Sing Our Song in the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m) on Polytrack on November 27 hinges on Saturday's run, Mesmerizing will most likely be raised towards loftier targets next year.

"We'll see how Sing Our Song goes, whereas Mesmerizing still needs to improve on his ratings (56) before we think about better races," he said.

"I think he's a horse for next year. If he keeps progressing, he could go for the good staying races."