The way Promise Me Gold pummelled his rivals last Friday had trainer Steven Burridge promptly thinking bigger, sidestepping any concerns of backing up too early for a race he has never had any runner in – this Sunday’s $1 million Emirates Singapore Derby.

Granted, a few niggling worries such as the 2000m trip query or the set weights condition could have aborted the dream there and then, but Burridge, who also wholly owns the Made Of Gold four-year-old, would not baulk.

“There’s only one Derby and I have $1 million worth of reasons to have a runner in,” said Burridge of the Group 1 event sponsored for a record 13^th time by Emirates Airline.

“To be honest, I haven’t really thought about the Derby, though I did have the race at the back of my mind for him.

“It’s only after he won so well on Friday that I thought he could be my Derby runner.”

Promise Me Gold (Din Azis) in full flight at his latest win on July 4.

Ridden by Din Azis, Promise Me Gold scored an impressive 4 ¾ length win in a Class 3 race after coming from well off the pace, and being held up for a run for about 300m leading into the top of the straight.

“He’s gone up eight points since that win and as there weren’t that many Class 2 races that suited him, I thought it would be a shame to leave him at the stables when he’s pulled up so well from his last race,” said Burridge.

“When horses are fit and well, you have to keep them going, or they might end up getting all sorts of problems.”

The former Melbourne jockey did concede the 2000m was the only cause for concern, considering the four-time winner (1200m to 1400m) has never raced beyond 1600m.

“You never know until you try. We can always run him in the Derby and if he doesn’t stay, then we can send him for a break and bring him back in distance at his next start,” said Burridge.

On breeding, Promise Me Gold may be able to see out the 10 furlongs thanks to the dam Home Export’s side (x Imperial Seal, a prolific sire of stayers) as the sire Made Of Gold was more of a sprinter-miler in UK.

Burridge said he bought the horse as an unraced three-year-old off a paddock in Melbourne for an undisclosed amount.

“He was well put together and I liked him straightaway. He was not without his problems initially as he bowed his tendons at his race debut but it’s all fixed now.”

From an unimpressive debut in a Restricted Maiden race, Promise Me Gold has weaved his way up in 22 starts to thrust himself into Derby calculations, albeit in an unconventional way.

“I would have made him an outright Derby hopeful way before if he had learned to relax better in his races,” said Burridge.

“As such, he hasn’t had the best preparation for such a race, but we have to work through what we have.”

Burridge is hoping for an inside draw at Thursday’s post position draw ceremony so his horse, who will be ridden by 2007 Derby-winning jockey Din Azis (Lim's Prestige), is not used up to go to the front or he would then have to drop back.

“His jump is pretty ordinary. I hope he can jump well on Sunday and get a sucked run through the inside,” said Burridge.

“There should be a lot of pace in the race with Laurie’s (Laxon) four runners. Top Spin at set weights will be hard to beat, but funny things happen in racing.”

At least, the 53-year-old trainer feels the rub of the green is going his way at the minute.

“It’s been a good year. I’ve won two big races and the winners are coming in though I’ve had a lot of seconds at the beginning,” said Burridge, who currently sits seventh on the trainer’s premiership with 23 wins, and two classic races in the trophy cabinet – the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Group 1 Piala Emas Sultan Selangor, both won by Trigger Express.

“I’ve had a lot of luck with stayers like ‘Trigger’ and World Delight. I hope the good run continues with Promise Me Gold,” said Burridge.