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Trainer Desmond Koh is backtracking a little on his long-term plan of stepping promising gelding Famous Artist up towards longer trips.

Besides dropping the blinkers a few runs back, Koh had been trying to instill a more sit-and-wait approach in the Excellent Art four-year-old.

Famous Artist was pigeon-holed as a sprinter type at his first few runs, landing three wins from the first four, more or less from start to finish.

But Koh had a gut feel his true genes belonged to anything from 1600m upwards. Famous Artist was ridden less positive at his next endeavours in an attempt to save his burst inside the last 300m, producing mixed results until he gradually turned the corner to score his fourth win in that fashion in a Benchmark 67 race over 1200m on May 29.

At his last start in a Kranji Stakes C race over 1200m on June 10, Famous Artist was even more dour as he came off a middle berth to beat all but Rafaello.

The trademark of a miler was plain for all to see. Slightly slow to begin after sitting in the barriers for a while, the Hong Kong-owned chestnut settled nicely well under Corey Brown even if he had to steady a little near the 800m and dropped back ever so slightly.

The experienced Brown did not fire him up with the fast pace, just tapping him up coming to the home turn as they eased out for their sprint home.

It looked like Rafaello (Nooresh Juglall) would win easy at the 100m, but Famous Artist worked home well, though he was inclined to shift in and out, to hit the line solid and miss out by only half a length for a performance that screamed the mile.

But going against the grain, Koh is now bringing him back to the 1100m of the $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race on Sunday.

The Singaporean said he was not deviating from his path, just finding a “better platform” to relaunch the Michael Lam-owned galloper.

“I still think he is a miler. His last run was a good indication he was looking for that kind of trip,” said Koh.

“But I saw this race on the programme, and I thought it would be a nice race to prep him up towards a longer race. Hopefully, he will still race relaxed off a genuine pace and come home well.

“In saying this, it’s not a bad field. The Nutcracker is a classy Argentinian Group winner and is down in grade, and horses like Eatons Gold and Secret Mission are very good in this grade.

“The other Kranji Stakes C Division 1 race is probably slightly stronger.”

Koh is sticking with Brown for the job (Famous Artist’s first partner was champion jockey Manoel Nunes who does not have a ride in that race), though he does not use him all that often. With the 58kgs handicap, he could have been tempted to put on an apprentice jockey like Wong Chin Chuen, who was his last winning partner, but he is also currently suspended.

“Corey’s ridden him three times already, and he rides him well,” said Koh.

“I’d rather have an experienced jockey like him riding at 58kgs, and who has already understood him very well. They have drawn the inside and that is another bonus.”

Koh saddles the Southern Boss (John Sundradas) and Reach For The Sun (Azhar Ismail) duo in the other Kranji Stakes C Division 1 race over 1100m, but feels they have the task ahead.

“Southern Boss and Reach For The Sun are both well but it’s a very strong field. I’d be happy if they run in the first four,” he said.

In the fifth Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the $90,000 Inglis Ready2Race Stakes 2016 (1200m), Koh will be represented by his first juvenile contender this year, Pomp, an Australian-bred by Mossman, also his first runner for the Jubilant Racing Stable.

“It’s an open race as most of the two-year-olds in that race are at their first run,” he said.

“I don’t know their forms and to be honest I don’t know how mine will do. He’s worked well and trialled well, and I hope he goes well.”