Victory in the Group Two Breeders' Classic at Warwick Farm is likely to prompt trainer John O'Shea to raise the bar with lightly-raced mare Steps In Time.Jim Cassidy took the initiative aboard Steps In Time ($7) early in Saturday's Breeders' Classic (1200m) and maintained the pressure throughout.Favourite Beaded ($2.50) was held up for a run inside the final 100 metres and ran on late but could only get within three-quarters of a length.Red Tracer ($3) battled on for third another neck away.O'Sh
Victory in the Group Two Breeders' Classic at Warwick Farm is likely to prompt trainer John O'Shea to raise the bar with lightly-raced mare Steps In Time.
Jim Cassidy took the initiative aboard Steps In Time ($7) early in Saturday's Breeders' Classic (1200m) and maintained the pressure throughout.
Favourite Beaded ($2.50) was held up for a run inside the final 100 metres and ran on late but could only get within three-quarters of a length.
Red Tracer ($3) battled on for third another neck away.
O'Shea was in Melbourne with Foxwedge who finished fourth to Black Caviar in the Lightning Stakes but foreman Bryce Heyes said Steps In Time's win was a boost for the stable.
"This mare deserves this win," Heyes said.
"It was James Arthur (Cassidy) at his best. He pulled their pants down."
Heyes said options for Steps In Time now included the Group One Coolmore Classic on March 24.
"She's drawn the line in the sand today," he said.
"She is on the up and looks like she will be well placed in the Coolmore."
Heyes said her autumn future had depended on what she did on Saturday.
"Where we go all came down to what she did today," he said.
"We can make plans now."
Cassidy said it was always the plan to dominate.
"We wanted to be positive," he said.
"She keeps improving and took the next step today.
"Not a bad ride either - that helped."
Corey Brown said Beaded had her chance to run down the winner.
"She raced up to win in the last 50 (metres)," he said.
"She just couldn't get there."