Three-year-old filly Spring In My Steps will be out to continue an incredible strike rate for Tamworth trainer Sue Grills and South African-raised owner-breeder Veronica Scott-Mason, at Gunnedah on Friday.
“I was talking to Veronica the other day and she said from our last 40 starters we’ve won 21 races,” Grills said.
“We’ve had a great run together.
“Hopefully it continues with Spring In My steps at Gunnedah.”
Border Rebel, the winner of 13 from 25 starts, is the star galloper for the pair.
Scott-Mason bred Spring In My Steps who is by Footstepsinthesand out of the Rancho Ruler mare Matrilineal.
The filly, who was impressive scoring a last-start 2-1/2-length win in a 1000m maiden at Quirindi on June 23 with Dale Spriggs in the saddle, steps up to the Class 1 Wayne Cadman & Associates Hcp over the same trip.
Spring In My Steps made her debut when runner-up to Urania Crown in a 1000m Muswellbrook maiden last October.
“She’s a lovely filly,” Grills said.
“I don’t know what the quality was like she beat last start but she was impressive and has pulled up really good.
“I couldn’t be happier with the way she’s going.”
Grills is wary of the step up in grade.
“Under the current system it’s never easy winning a maiden then a Class One,” Grills said.
“It takes a good horse to do it.
“I’ve kept Spring In My Steps on the fresh side. At this stage she’s a pure sprinter.
“There’s not a whole lot of her but she works nice and looks to have a future.
“Hopefully for Veronica, she can win again and keep our strike rate up.”
Grills added it was a race-by-race policy before making any immediate plans for the filly.
Spring In My Steps, who carries 57kg, will be ridden by Andrew Gibbons.
“Dale Spriggs preferred to ride Rodney Northam’s horse Cautious Time,” Grills said.
Cautious Time scored his maiden win on the same day as Spring In My Steps but has drawn barrier 18 compared to Grills’ filly who drew gate eight.
AAP TURF
