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Trainer Tan Kah Soon remained non-committal about getting Gold Strike to face the starter in the $1 million Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) after the former Singapore Gold Cup runner-up finished last in a barrier trial on Thursday.

Ridden by Wong Chin Chuen, the Iffraaj six-year-old never left the rear in his heat, striding across the line more than 10 lengths off the winner Ocean Crossing.

At his first barrier trial for Tan since moving from ex-Kranji trainer Cliff Brown, the 2019 Dester Singapore Gold Cup runner-up (to Mr Clint) had already given his new handler little to cheer about, albeit he actually fared slightly better when eighth around five lengths off Tiger Roar on March 25.

Five weeks later, Tan was still not doing cartwheels at the trials.

A typical get-back stayer not known for much early speed, Gold Strike  was not expected to be prominent in either trial, especially as he hasn't raced since his much less eye-catching turn at his second Singapore Gold Cup bid last November (seventh to Big Hearted), but neither was Tan entirely convinced the Irish-bred would be ready in time for the Kranji Mile on May 22.

"For now, he's left in the Kranji Mile entries (13th in order of entry, one spot ahead of stablemate Nowyousee)," said Tan, without giving away too much at this stage.

"Things didn't quite go to plan in the first trial. He went okay this morning, he had a quiet trial - we'll see how he pulls up after today.

"We were looking at a first-up run in the Lion City Cup (last week), but I didn't want to run him in the Lion City Cup just for the sake of running him in the Lion City Cup."

With the premier sprint over 1200m won by Lim's Lightning last Saturday out of the way, to Tan, no other race fits the bill for a lead-up race to the Kranji Mile on May 22.

A first-up run in the glamour race as the crow flies seems to be the only pathway left.

"There are no other races for him now. He may go straight to the Kranji Mile – if he runs," he said.

"But it's okay. He's got a good owner who's very patient."

The five-time Kranji winner (1200m to 1800m) is raced by the Gold Stable, whose founder Mr Yong Nam Seng passed away in January, and which has now been taken over by his son Eugene.

Tan already prepared some of the Yong family's team like Golden Mile (now deleted, but who gave the Penang-born handler his second Singapore winner after he set up shop in 2017 – and only Gold Stable winner from his 44 winners thus far), Gold Customer and Gold Rush, but has seen that number bumped up by the arrival of former Brown charges Gold Strike, Gold Kingdom and Golden Way after the Australian trainer cut his Singapore stint short and returned to his native Melbourne in March.

Rated 88, Gold Strike is by far the highest-profile runner in the yellow and red diamonds to now come under Tan's guidance.