Handy four-year-old STEP ASIDE can atone for a luckless last-start defeat when he returns to Randwick in the $160,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1400m on Saturday.
STEP ASIDE was brilliant winning first-up two starts ago – his first run off a four-month spell. The margin was only narrow due to the sedate tempo, but his final splits were impressive. Runner-up, Cloudland, since won to frank the form. Expected to repeat the dose second-up, things went awry for STEP ASIDE. Near the 500m, he was checked and lost ground before going on to be badly held up from the 400m until the 150m.
Once clear, he stormed home late to miss by the narrowest of margins. The up-and-coming Chris Waller-trained four-year-old should be bouncing back in a big way this week.
Grebeni’s time to shine
In-form four-year-old GREBENI is poised to secure back-to-back wins in the $160,000 Maroubra Mile – a Benchmark 100 Handicap over 1600m – at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
GREBENI’s last-start win marked his second victory in his past three outings, following his triumph in the $200,000 Goulburn Cup (1400m) before finishing midfield in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m). The son of Ocean Park has already showcased his ability beyond a mile, securing consecutive wins at 1800m in June, contributing to his six career victories. Drawing barrier four in the field of nine on Saturday, GREBENI offers jockey Kerrin McEvoy the opportunity to capitalize on the running style that training partners Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou believe suits GREBENI’s strengths.
The Rosehill training team contemplated taking GREBENI to Queensland and immediately stepping him up in distance, but McEvoy suggested another 1600m run. “We did have the option to go up to Queensland over 1800 but Kerrin was adamant that we stick to 1600 for now,” Alexiou said.
