Stepitup has underwhelmed in a couple of runs this campaign but the Colonial Chief Stakes provides a good opportunity to live up to his name.
Stepitup was the champion three-year-old in Singapore last term, landing the triple-crown in commanding style, and looked to have Kranji at his mercy as a four-year-old.
His wins over Superninetyseven in the Classic and the Guineas still read as supreme pieces of form with the runner-up having returned to slam his rivals in the Group One Raffles Cup and run an enormous race with plenty against him in the Singapore Gold Cup.
It hasn’t been such smooth sailing for Stepitip, though.
He stepped out in the Group One Kranji Mile first-up and failed to fire, finishing fifth, some four lengths from the winner.
The mile first-up was forgivable and most expected a much improved showing in the Group One Raffles Cup last time.
Unfortunately he once again failed to fire there, racing on speed but failing to find what was required when push came to shove in the run home, with old sparring partner Superninetyseven taking the honours.
A drop in class and the return of Ivaldo Santana who piloted him to all of his success’ at three look key factors to return him to his best form today and that best form is going to make him mighty hard to topple.
The all-weather presents little drama for the son of Hussonet. He’s twice a winner on the surface and he was enormous in his lone defeat on it.
The biggest dangers look to be those who finished alongside him in the Raffles, Nandowra, Street Legal and in particular Flying Fulton who has stepped out since and shown himself in good order.
He’s a C&D winner in this class and his effort last week, closing strongly from well back in the field, sees him with the hoof back on the till.
Street Legal is fairly well exposed but his latest couple have been good and there is little reason to think that he won’t run well again here.
He’s certainly in the mix on an each-way basis.
Goliath is yet to prove himself at the level of that group of chances but he comes into the race in top form having won his last couple (the first in a dead-heat) and he loves the all-weather.
He’s a five-time winner on the poly and his latest here was as good as he has gone, romping away late in the piece to win with plenty in hand.
He still got 2-3 lengths to find on those top couple but he is still on an upward spiral and represents the new blood.
In-fact, he might just prove the biggest danger to Stepitup.
