Paul Preusker believes Steparty is back in career best form and at peak fitness ahead of Saturday’s Group 2 The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick.
A Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) placegetter, Steparty struggled for form earlier this year and was gelded after finishing 13th in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
“He just clocked off as a colt and the gelding’s sort of done the job, so let’s hope we’ve made the right move,” Preusker said.
Steparty has placed in his past three runs at Group level, including a two-length third placing in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) two starts back, and Preusker is hopeful he can break through on Saturday.
“He’s really good, couldn’t be happier. We’ve just taken our time and let the races bring him up, so he’s fit now. No doubt he’ll head back and acquit himself well.”
“He’s been up there, sooner or later we’ll have a bit of luck.”
Steparty was beaten 2.3 lengths into third last start at Kembla Grange in the Group 3 The Gong (1600m) and will likely face the quinella of that race again in Gringotts and Suparazi, meeting the pair 2 and 1.5 kilograms better at the weights respectively.
No jockey had yet been booked for Steparty, who has been ridden by a different hoop at his past four starts, but Preusker said he’ll be happy to continue racing Steparty over the Summer if he finds the right races.
“We gelded him to be a racehorse, so if the horse is happy, there might be another one in him. We’ll just play it by ear when he gets back home.”
Steparty is a $15 chance all-in with aussie betting sites for The Ingham with Gringotts holding favouritism over Private Eye.
