Fairway's Turf Online

Success at third try for Stepitup in Kranji Mile

SINGAPORE: Oct 4, 2015

STEPITUP proves too good in the Panasonic Kranji Mile - SNTC photo

It was third time lucky for the diminutive but big-hearted STEPITUP in the $500,000 Panasonic Karnji Mile when he ran his rivals off their feet in the Group 1 1600m contest at Kranji here today.

It was after his dismal run in this race last year, in which he finished 12th of 14 runners, that his owners decided on a change of trainer to Laurie Laxon.

Until then, STEPITUP had won nine races for trainer Sonny Yeoh, claiming five group races and making a clean sweep of the Three-Year-Old series in 2013.

Under Laxon, STEPITUP has made a dramatic recovery to regain his best form, winning four races this season including three at group level before having his third shot at the Kranji Mile.

With SPALATO, unbeaten in eight local starts, and Singapore Gold Cup winner QUECHUA in the line up, only six horses including STEPITUP were game enough to take on the pair.

But few could have predicted the manner in which STEPITUP came from last early to win drawing away by four lengths from QUECHUA.

And for jockey Michael Rodd, it was his biggest win yet in Singapore. And just like FLAX in the Committee's Prize two weeks ago, the Melbourne Cup-winning rider was partnering STEPITUP for the first time today.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE: Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position

	PANASONIC INNOVATION STAKES
1	CLASS 4 - 1200M
12	SING ROULETTE	Khoo	A Munro	1
	(4 ch.a.g Ruwi - Fraar's Salome by Fraar)
4	Run It Twice	S Burridge	M Nunes	2
3	Mr Fantastic	P Shaw	MM Firdaus	3
14	Lincoln's Excuse	S Baertschiger	Kellady	4

	PANASONIC LET'S WIN STAKES
2	RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1400M
6	MIGHTY KENNY	P Shaw	MM Firdaus	1
	(3 br.a.g Shinzig - Mysterious Ransom by Red Ransom)
2	Certainly	C Brown	M Nunes	2
12	Roger	C Brown	R Shafiq	3
4	Special Force	HK Tan	Y Salim	4

	PANASONIC COPERATION STAKES
3	OPEN HANDICAP - 1200M
7	SPANISH BAY	M Freedman	CW Brown	1
	(4 b.a.g Nadeem - Belle Jest by Rory's Jester)
5	Jimmy Rea	M Walker	M Nunes	2
2	Cavallo	ZL Mok	S John	3
6	Hypernova	B Marsh	Z Zuriman	4

	PANASONIC LEADERSHIP STAKES
4	INITIATION - 1200M
8	MANGATOETOENUI	L Laxon	M Rodd	1
	(4 b.nz.m Battle Paint - Scorched Silk by Lord Ballina)
5	Lim's Bullet	S Burrdge	M Nunes	2
13	Succession	M Freedman	CW Brown	3
2	Zippy	M Walker	J Powell	4

	PANASONIC SOLUTIONS STAKES
5	CLASS 3 - 1200M
7	VON KRUMM	S Baertschiger	Kellady	1
	(5 b.a.g Snitzel - Really Wild by Wild Again)
14	Poesidon	C Brown	Woodworth	2
5	Divided House	C Brown	CW Brown	3
10	Smart People	HW Tan	Chavez	4

	PANASONIC COMMITMENT STAKES
6	KRANJI STAKES A - 2000M
8	BLUE DANUBE	M Clements	A Munro	1
	(4 br.arg.h Equal Stripes - Barby Parade by Parade Marshal)
10	Order Of The Sun	D Koh	Woodworth	2
3	Cooptado	P Shaw	J Powell	3
9	Perfect P	P Shaw	M Nunes	4

	PANASONIC SPEED STAKES
7	BENCHMARK 67 - 1800M
4	ODE TO JOY	M Clements	M Nunes	1
	(4 br.arg.g Orpen - Salsa Inglesa by Roy)
5	Precious Gem	S Gray	R Shafiq	2
2	Om	M Walker	Y Salim	3
6	Gilt Complex	O'Hara	CC Wong	4

	PANASONIC CONQUEST STAKES
8	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
6	HIGH COUNCIL	S Burridge	Kellady	1
	(4 b.a.g High Chaparral - Suppose by Danehill)
9	Natural Nice	L Laxon	A Munro	2
5	Groenewegen	C Brown	M Rodd	3
11	Hee's Ego	M Walker	R Shafiq	4

	PANASONIC KRANJI MILE
9	SINGAPORE GROUP 1 (WFA) - 1600M
2	STEPITUP	L Laxon	M Rodd	1
	(6 b.a.g Hussonet - Ain't Seen Nothin' Nothin' Leica Dane)
3	Quechua	P Shaw	CW Brown	2
6	Wild Geese	S Burridge	Kellady	3
1	Spalato	O'Hara	M Nunes	4

	PANASONIC ENGINEERING STAKES
10	BENCHMARK 83 - 1600M
5	TWICKENHAM	S Gray	K A'Isisuhairi	1
	(5 b.a.g Artie Schiller - Lady Migaloo by General Nediym)
10	Dragon Fury	HW Tan	T See	2
8	Zululand	M Freedman	CW Brown	3
3	Imperial March	M Clements	M Nunes	4

	PANASONIC TECHNOLOGY STAKES
11	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1400M
3	STORM TROOPS	P Shaw	N Juglall	1
	(4 br.arg.g Orpen - Stormy by Elusive Quality)
2	North Atlantic Ice	C Brown	M Rodd	2
4	Rockfast	M Walker	M Nunes	3
5	Sky Eleven	Khoo	WS Chan	4