Improving colt Cha Siu Bao won’t be taking any backward steps when he steps up to a mile for the first time at Riccarton on Saturday.

There is a sense of timing about the well-related three-year-old, who will make his stakes debut in the Gr.1 Sothys NZ 2000 Guineas.

“Both of his wins have been encouraging and he is a bit of the unknown horse in the race, but he warrants his position in the field and one thing we do know is that he will stay the 1600 metres,” said Andrew Scott, who prepares Cha Siu Bao with Lance O’Sullivan.

“Certainly on his dam’s side it suggests that the trip will be no problem.”

By Smart Missile, he is out of the Stravinsky mare Ballet Society, a Group Two winner up to a mile in Australia and a half-sister to the Gr.1 Kelt Capital Stakes (2000m) winner Cent Home.

Cha Siu Bao placed in both his runs last season and this term he ran fourth when resuming before back to back wins at Te Rapa and Ashburton.

“Since his Ashburton run he has improved, which he obviously needed to do to be competitive in what looks to be an even field,” Scott said.

“Lance went down to the South Island to watch him gallop on Tuesday and he was very happy with him.”

Cha Siu Bao will be ridden by Craig Grylls, who will also be aboard the stable’s Gr.3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup contender Gentil Tonton in the Listed Gold Club Metropolitan Trophy.

“His work here at Matamata has been good and he will improve a bit after the race and two miles should be no problem for him,” Scott said. “He’s going into these races on an upward spiral.”

A winner up to 2400 metres, Gentil Tonton was a last-start second in the Listed Jakkalberry Classic.