Quality mare Steps In Time will make her debut down the famous Flemington straight when she resumes in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) this Saturday.
Steps In Time is chasing her third victory at Group 2 level in the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Steps In Time will be returning to the races for the first time since she finished 13th in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) and has an excellent first-up record; recording three wins from five first-up starts.
Trainer John O’Shea told Racing Ahead that he is delighted with the condition of the Danehill Dancer mare but admitted that he is concerned by how she will handle her first taste of straight racing.
“We are really happy with her,” O’Shea said.
“I went down and had a look at her on Monday and she did a nice piece of work on Tuesday.
“The first go down the straight is always a bit of a concern but she is a big strong, fit mare and she is ready to go.”
O’Shea confirmed that Steps In Time will follow her usual racing pattern and head to the front of the field and believes that the expected tempo of the Gilgai Stakes should suit the Group 2 winner.
“I would have preferred if she had drawn a little further out but she should be able to roll forward from there and get to wherever you need to get to, which is the best part of the ground,” O’Shea said.
Steps In Time was far from disgraced when competing at Group 1 level during her autumn and winter preparation.
The six-year-old started her campaign with a narrow win over Red Tracer in the Group 2 New South Wales Thoroughbred Breeders Classic (1200m) before she recorded a dominant three and a half lengths victory over Group 1 winners Streama, Pear Tart and Appearance in the Listed Wiggle Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm.
She finished a narrow fourth behind Appearance in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens but failed to fire in Brisbane; finishing 11th in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m), seventh in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m) and 13th in the Tattersall’s Tiara.
O’Shea has Romantic Moon, Bound For Earth, The Special Two, Electric Dee Jay, Blatant and Kingdoms running in Melbourne and Sydney tomorrow but rates Steps In Time his best winning chance.
