Steparty steps up in Guineas Prelude
Taking on a field of promising colts, Steparty (Artie Schiller) stretched his unbeaten run to five, prevailing in a thrilling blanket finish to yesterday’s Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Gr 3, 1400m).
The Paul Preusker-trained three-year-old was ridden patiently by John Allen, who trusted his mount’s ability to turn widest and streak through on the outside and, despite being impaired by a slightly wayward Veight (Grunt) ($3.70), picked up vigorously to deny Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) ($9), Scentify (Justify) ($10) and Scheelite (Real Steel) ($13), who all finished within a neck of each other at the line.
Steparty ($2.60f) had been ridden closer to the speed in his previous four wins, his latest in the McKenzie Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Moonee Valley, but on this first step up to 1400 metres the colt unleashed a devastating turn of foot, one that impressed his trainer.
“It was great to see him relax. Johnny gave him the opportunity for that,” Preusker said.
“He’s got a boom turn of foot. I haven’t seen a horse with a [last] 400 [metres] on him like this fella. It was good to see it used today, a bit of pressure, and he stood up.
“The harder it’s run, the more brutal the race, the more he stands up and puts his hand up.
“Today was about, for me mentally, do I go back and change anything. I’m pretty confident that I don’t.”
Steparty is likely to proceed to the Caulfield Guineas on October 14, where it is probable he will again meet his closest rivals from yesterday, including the Bennett Racing-owned Southport Tycoon, who lost the unbeaten start to his career.
Allen, who has ridden Steparty in three of his five wins, believed the step up to the Caulfield Guineas distance would be within reach.
“I thought it was a good win to be honest,” Allen said.
“He began well enough, and they hunted up inside me, and I didn’t want to fire him up too much because he’s got bigger targets in a few weeks.
“I elected to come back on him and then I was probably too negative on him and I got too far out of my ground, but he was good. He came back, relaxed for me and then we had to get going. They didn’t go over quick and they got racing early and he had to make a long run and thankfully he was good enough.
“I liked that last furlong. He was entitled to empty when they came to him, but when he heard that horse coming outside him, he put his head down and really found the line. It was a good one to win.”
A homebred for Greg Baldwin, Steparty (3 c Artie Schiller – Watch Your Step by Sepoy) is a half-brother to the Group 3-placed Scissor Step (Toronado) being out of the unraced Sepoy (Elusive Quality) mare Watch Your Step.