Steparty Gears Up for a Comeback

Prodiogously talented Steparty (Artie Schiller-Watch Your Step, by Sepoy) has undergone a pivotal change in an effort to return to winning form for the upcoming Spring Carnival, reports racing.com. Paul Preusker's galloper was a standout performer last winter, winning his first five races, including the Gr3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. However, the Group 1 placegetter struggled to maintain his early success during the Queensland Carnival, leading to connections to geld the rising 4YO. "We were always dreaming he might make it as a stallion and you leave it as long as you can, but with his breeding, he probably was going to need a couple of Group 1s and he hadn't [achieved that]. It wasn't really a hard decision to make, it was a bit of a gimme and had to happen," said managing owner and breeder Greg Baldwin. Currently midway through a six-week spell at Mount Tamborine near the Gold Coast, Steparty last raced on June 15, finishing 13th in the Gr1 Stradbroke Handicap. Baldwin added; "The horse did well in Queensland and Dean Yendall come up and rode him really well in the Stradbroke, but he turned into the straight and he probably could have tried a bit harder up the straight…he might even do some pre-training up there to do something different with him and enjoy the winter in Queensland."

Steparty has been gelded (pic: Mark Gatt)