Talented mare Steps In Time is set to have the final race start of her career in the 2014 Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm next weekend after recording a six lengths victory in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm this morning.
Steps In Time scored her maiden win at Group 1 level in the Coolmore Classic during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart
Steps In Time contested the sixth barrier trial of the morning over 800 metres, which also included imported stayer He’s Your Man and new Sam Kavanagh acquisition Lady Of Harrods, and she led all the way to score a dominant six lengths win.
Trainer Joseph Pride said yesterday that Steps In Time would have to perform well in the barrier trial to earn a trip to Brisbane for the Tattersall’s Tiara and he told TVN at the conclusion of the trial that the Danehill Dancer mare had done enough to receive one more opportunity at Group 1 level before she is retired to serve as a broodmare.
“On what we saw today she’ll be heading north, that’s for sure,” Pride said.
“She trialled really well, pulled up good and we’ll be going.”
Steps In Time has been a strong barrier trial performer since she joined the stable of John O’Shea in 2010 and she scored a four lengths victory in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm 11 days before she won the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.
The six-year-old started her 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with a narrow second behind Catkins in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 15 before scoring her maiden win at Group 1 level in the Coolmore Classic, but failed to fire on a very heavy track in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.
Steps In Time will be running in the Tattersall’s Tiara for the third time in her racing career, but she has had very little success in the Group 1 event.
She contested the event in 2011 as a three-year-old, when prepared by John O’Shea, and faded in the final stages of the race to finish 12th behind Yosei and she led early in the 2013 edition of the race, but tired late to finish 13th behind Red Tracer.
Steps In Time will need to be at her best to improve her record in the Tattersall’s Tiara next weekend; with the likes of Red Tracer, Catkins, Srikandi, Avoid Lightning, Cosmic Endeavour and Driefontein all a chance of contesting the Group 1 event.
