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Cliff Brown hopes Gold Strike can step up on his encouraging first-up third in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) with another forward run in this Saturday’s $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1800m.

The Australian trainer has high hopes for the Irish-bred five-year-old whose name (he was first named Gold Power when he first landed as an unraced in 2018) may sound like a happy coincidence as to where his ultimate target lies, but the fact he ran a slashing second to Mr Clint as a lightweight chance in last year's Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) in November turned out to be no happenstance.

The out-and-out stayer, whose last win came in a Class 3 race over 1800m in July, has kept up the same upward spiral into 2020, following up with two sound runs this prep, obviously over distances that are now too sharp, aligning himself with his natural bloodlines. Dual-hemisphere stallion Iffraaj has produced sprinters as well as milers and middle-distance horses.

A first-up closing seventh to Bold Thruster in the Group 3 Fortune Bowl (1400m) was a clear indication he was looking for more ground, and so did that eye-catching third to Countofmontecristo in the Chairman's Trophy three weeks ago.

Gold Strike  will definitely lap up the extra 200m, and meets his victor 1.5kgs better off at the weights, carrying 55kgs, a handicap that champion jockey Vlad Duric can make, while filling the gap left by the suspended stable jockey Michael Rodd for careless riding.

But Brown, who has one Gold Cup winner to his name, the late Gilt Complex in 2017, is not getting ahead of himself with the gelding raced by his long-time client, the Gold Stable.

"Gold Strike feels fine. I liked his gallop on Tuesday, he's going really well," said Brown.

"The time away has helped him a lot. He is physically more mature.

"His long-term goal is obviously the Gold Cup, but I'm taking him step by step. There's still a long way to go.

"Michael is suspended and it's Vlad who will ride him."

The three-time Singapore champion jockey has never partnered Gold Strike at his 19 Kranji starts that yielded five wins (1200m to 1800m) and six placings, but was well bent on making the most of the fleeting time he will get on his back.

"I'm very fortunate Cliff called me on Monday afternoon for the ride on Gold Strike. Obviously, it's a one-off ride, and he looks very well suited in that race," said the Australian hoop.

"He's drawn a nice barrier (five), he's a quality horse who ran a super race behind Countofmontecristo at his last start. The 1800m will suit him better, and he'll be better off at the handicap this Saturday.

"He beat Countofmontecristo in the Gold Cup last year, and that was also a handicap race, even if the pull in weights was a lot more that day (6.5kgs for a half-length beaten margin).

"I've never sat on him in a race or trackwork, but it's a very good ride I'm really looking forward to."