The Caspar Fownes-trained Step Faster is starting to hit his best strides with an encouraging performance in the Class Three Yiu Wa Handicap over the Valley mile on Wednesday night.
Step Faster had a setback in June following his first outing at Sha Tin when coming up lame due to having twisted his left front plate resulting in a nail penetrating the sole of the foot. Then showed nothing in the second attempt when pace was against him on July 7 at Happy Valley.
Nothing was expected of him when resuming on October 21 over 1,200m at the city venue at near 60-1 odds, but he came with a nice bid down the centre of the course after settling behind midfield with cover to shade Samadhi for third behind Smart Kids. Then at 7-1 odds on November 25 over 1,400m at Sha Tin, Step Faster was always on his back foot after being crowded out at the start and never got going on a good-to-yielding track.
He had another setback with blood in his trachea after trackwork on December 7, but all things seemed to be in order following a nice trial on the Sha Tin turf earlier this month.
This time on Wednesday night, Step Faster settled behind midfield, cornered in two deep about five lengths off the top, went through a tight gap between favourite Galaxy Prancer and Fay Deep at the 150m and went by Easy To Rich 30m out to secure the runner-up spot behind Circuit Star - beaten three-quarters.
The four-year-old is by the phenomenal racehorse Lohnro - 26 wins (11 at Group One level) from 1,100m to 2,000m - and has produced 1,200m winners Affluence Of Rain, Be-Fabulous, Tailwind, Hexagon and Bear Elite from his nine other performers in Hong Kong. His dam, Grand Lodge mare Miss Belair - a triple winner from 1,200m to 2,000m - is a half-sister to two black-type winners in Australia, including the QTC Stradbroke Handicap winner Landsighting.
Step Faster is heading in the right direction and has got the potential to eventually end up in Class Two for his owner Choi Hiu-fung, who has enjoyed success with the likes of Straight Forward (three wins), Wonderful Blessing (five wins) and Forest Star (four wins).
