Stepitup’s seventh Singapore Group win

Stepitup’s seventh Singapore Group win

“Never-say-die warrior spirit” is the description Singapore Turf Club journalist Michael Lee applies to Stepitup and Sunday’s $S150,000 Yew Tee Classic Sgp-3 confirmed its accuracy.

The 5YO son of Hussonet made light of his 59kg topweight with a typically resolute performance, settling towards the rear before swinging wide on the turn and driving hard to hold off Emperor Banquet and Mr Spielberg in the 1800m feature.

Stepitup’s champion jockey Manoel Nunes said, “He’s the class horse in the race but I was a bit worried about the weight. He’s a small horse with a big heart and always puts in 100% in his races and today was no different.”

It was Stepitup’s second win for trainer Laurie Laxon this season, after the Queen Elizabeth II Cup Sgp-2 in April, and his seventh domestic Group success among 11 victories since his debut almost three years ago.

Stepitup was purchased for $90,000 by Cliff Brown from the Arrowfield draft at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and has now earned more than $S1.6 million for owner Thomas Loke’s Tivic Stable.

Bred by Arrowfield and John Leaver, Stepitup is by Hussonet from the fine racemare and even better broodmare Ain’t Seen Nothin’ (by Nothin’ Leica Dane), winner of eight races, three at Listed Stakes level, and third in Mummify’s 2003 MRC Underwood S. G1.

Ain’t Seen Nothin’ is also the dam of five other winners includng dual stakeswinner Ain’tnofallenstar (by Starcraft) and Group 3 2YO winner Bachman (by All American). Ain’t Seen Nothin’ has a rising 3YO colt by Starcraft, a weanling sister to Bachman and is foaling this Spring to Dundeel.

Stepitup is one of six 2014/15 stakeswinners by former Arrowfield sire Hussonet, now standing at Cornerstone Stud in South Australia. The evergreen son of Mr. Prospector has had a remarkable career, as a multiple champion sire in Chile, sire of Australian Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler and, more recently, a valuable source of talent for Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau and Malaysia.

Contentment, another Arrowfield-bred son of Hussonet, was last week named Hong Kong’s Most Improved Horse this season, and then franked that award with a brave win at Sha Tin on Sunday.