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Steparty wins the McKenzie Stakes: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes

3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes after Steparty takes out the Listed McMahon’s Dairy McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Race Result:

1st: Steparty (J Allen/P Preusker) - $2.50 fav
2nd: Scentify (B Allen/C Maher & D Eustace) - $5
3rd: Brave Mead (M Zahra/C Maher & D Eustace) - $3.60

Winning Time: 1:10.61 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 1-¼ lengths x Head

STEPARTY winning the McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

Winning Trainer: Paul Preusker

Remaining unbeaten: "He just keeps raising the bar, I'll be excited to go to the next one, there's not much work to do, he's just tick over, tick over so we've left ourselves in a good spot and I think the horse will enjoy it and make some improvement so look out."

In the run: "He just possesses too good a speed really, I'm a bit of a get back, run on man but slowly I'm learning to work with them but I still watch him in his work at home, he's a brilliant horse a long way off them, he sits on a tight trail, he just hasn't been in that spot yet, I'm sure we'll get it some day on race day."

Exciting horse: "It's been an amazing effort, I never really set out to race him, I think we were going to look at races at Donald, races at Swan Hill just to educate him, he's just a tough horse from the get-go, I remember a couple of jumpers he was working with them and even as a two-year-old, just the slow miles he could work with good chasers."

"We'll just poke away and it happens, good journey for me, good learning for me off this horse and I'll ride it right until the end."

Next run: "We'll go to Caulfield next, have a look I think at the moment, just tick that box and make sure we're doing the right thing there too. I think a mile's an easy ask for him, he's certainly got the capacity so I'm not frightened of that at all."

On the horse: "He's a beautiful striding horse, he's never really gotten to use it yet but anyway, we'll just keep dissolving it as we go and go from there."

Winning Jockey: John Allen

Early speed: "He has shown good gate speed every run but he really relaxed today, he really fell asleep in the run, I had to give him a squeeze at the 500 just to wake up and let him know he was here for a race."
"He crabbed around the corner a little bit but I liked the way every time I asked him he responded and galloped right through the line

How he felt: "He's a beautiful horse, I rode him in his first start but I haven't been on since but since then he's gotten bigger, stronger and pretty plain sailing really."

Up in trip: "I think when he gets on a bigger track too, 1400 will be no worries as he has, and you'd imagine a mile will be no issue either. He's certainly an exciting horse."