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Trainer Steven Burridge is keeping his fingers crossed that the talented Street Of Dreams can step up to the plate when he faces his biggest test to-date in the $1 million Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) next Saturday.

The Australian handler, who also nominated last year's Kranji Mile placegetter Mr Malek in the same race, was on hand to watch both nominees step out for their pre-race heats on Tuesday morning, albeit in different trials.

Ridden by jockey Ronnie Stewart in the fourth trial, Street Of Dreams made up good ground from last to finish second five-and-a-quarter lengths off fellow Kranji Mile contender Katak (Vlad Duric), while two other Kranji Mile runners Rocket Star (Marc Lerner) and Mr Black Back (Daniel Moor) ran third and fourth respectively.

Mr Malek (A'Isisuhairi Kasim), who was at his third trial after an unplaced finish in the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) last November, also motored home late from the outside to finish third half-a-length off Kranji Mile contender Hongkong Great (Duric) in trial no.3.

Burridge was pleased with the duo's final hit-outs before the big race in 11 days' time, but the spotlight was on the four-year-old Street Of Dreams, who acquired legions of fans with six wins in a row, the latest at his last start in the Kranji Stakes A race (1600m) on March 4.

He did get the better of the 2022 Singapore Gold Cup winner Hongkong Great by half-a-length then, albeit with a six-kilo pull in weights between them (Street Of Dreams carried 53.5kgs while Hongkong Great was the topweight at 59.5kgs). However, the two will carry the same weight of 57kgs under the set-weights conditions in the Kranji Mile.

"He's got to step up because he's meeting all these good horses on level weights now," said Burridge, who will have a quiet weekend this Saturday with only two runners, last-start winner Citizen and first Emergency Acceptor, My Determination in the $50,000 Class 4 race (1400m).

"There was a big difference in the weights, but now he's had a freshen-up, ran in two trials and the first one was with Ronnie 12 days ago (finished sixth to Illustrious in trial no.3 on April 27).

"He ran quite well today. I'm happy with him. Ronnie's very happy with him too.

"Nothing too hard but he will probably have a quiet piece of work next Monday."

While the connections have said before that the main target for the son of Dundeel was the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 23, there were also other Group races in mind for him leading down to that path, even if they did not quite materialise.

Street Of Dreams  first skipped the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m) on March 25, which was won by the Daniel Meagher-trained superstar Lim's Kosciuszko. Then, he also bypassed the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) on April 23 after a viral setback. The race was eventually won by the Jason Lim-trained Super Salute.

Throwing him in at the deep end meant that there is the possibility of the winning streak coming to an end, but Burridge reckoned a good barrier and a hot tempo on the day could help keep the dream run going.

"He seems to be okay now (after the virus attack). I'm hopeful and if they're fit and well on race day, you never know," said the veteran handler who has yet to win the Kranji Mile.

"We'd always like a good gate. There should be a bit of pace there. Horses like (Lim's) Kosciuszko, who's the main danger, Hongkong Great, Mr Black Back and Katak would probably go forward and inject some speed.

"Hopefully, this race won't be too hard because I'm also worried it'd flatten him out, but there's also three weeks in between (Kranji Mile and the Group 3 Silver Bowl on June 11).

"If all goes well, he will go for all three Legs (of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge)."

The Singapore Derby is the third Leg of the 4YO series and the first two Legs are the Silver Bowl (1400m) and the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) on July 2.

Not only will the fast tempo suit the Joe Giovanni-owned gelding, it would also help backmarker Mr Malek, who resumes racing after six months.

A cancerous lump was found on the neck of the six-year-old son of Swiss Ace after he ran seventh in the Singapore Gold Cup last year, so he went under the knife and rested for some time before returning to the tracks.

Therefore, Burridge was a bit more cautious when it came to the 2021 Stewards' Cup winner.

"We'll have to see how he pulls up before he runs (in the Kranji Mile)," he said.

"He came back after the Gold Cup and we saw a lump (on his neck). At first, the vets thought maybe it was just a cyst but it kept growing bigger, so we took a biopsy and found out that it was cancer.

"It could have hindered him (in the Gold Cup) then. He did the surgery four weeks after the Gold Cup and got about six weeks off.

"He was okay at his last two trials (on April 21 and 27). The first one was a soft trial and the second one was more to condition him.

"We took the tongue-tie off and put on the tongue bit because he tends to get his tongue over the bit.

"It should be a true run race in the Kranji Mile, so we'll ride him comfortable and see if he comes home.

"It's very hard over the mile first-up, but hopefully he can be competitive."

The Oscar Racing Stable-owned gelding will have his winning partner in the Stewards' Cup, A'Isisuhairi, take the reins in the Kranji Mile.