Stepping up a notch

Press, 5 December 1989, Page 48

Stepping up a notch

By

JEFF SCOTT

The Templeton reinsman, Jim Curtin, notched his twentieth driving success of the season when he reined Stepping High, which he also trains, to a narrow victory in the CO penalty-bearing Shepherds Whisky Pace at the Rangiora trials yesterday. Stepping High, a three-year-old filly by the Albatross stallion,. Del Cavallo (1:55), was perfectly placed, handy on the outer, by Curtin and, despite lugging in a shade in the run home, lasted by a head from the fast-finishing Sergeant Jones, one of the back runners to the home turn. Quiet Sunday, which improved three wide in the open over the last 800 m and went clear on the home turn, was swamped in the closing stages, finishing third only a head away. Shepherds Whisky PACE, $2100; CO; 2600m.-Stepping High J. Curtin 1, Sergeant Jones A. Butt 2, Quiet Sunday G. Mangos 3. Others (in finish order): Monte Magic, Farmer Brown, Danum Lobell, Lepke, Winter Spirit, King Larney, Rocheteau, Swirlum’s Folly, Terako Bay, Jacma, Madam du Jour, Dry Ginger. Hd, hd, nk. Time: 3:32.7 (800 m in 61.4, 400 m in 31.4). Winner’s breeding: 3f Del Cavallo — Grand Step, trained by J. Curtin, Templeton.