Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
New Zealand-bred six-year-old Steel The Show looks set for a successful career in Western Australia after he romped to an effortless win in the 1730m Brett De Campo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This followed his easy all-the-way victory at Gloucester Park ten days earlier when making his Australian debut.
Driver Deni Roberts heaped praise on Steel The Show, saying: “He is very laid-back, so he does only what he has to. He probably makes it look like he is doing it tough, but he’s in sort of second gear. He is very versatile, has good gate speed and he’s fast and tough.”
Steel The Show has raced 46 times for eight wins, 15 placings and stakes of $169,313. He won at his first two starts in late 2019 and then at his seventh appearance he impressed when he finished second to Heroes Square over 1980m at Addington. He finished ahead of Glenledi Chief (third) and Minstrel (fourth).
He is raced by Greg Bond and New Zealander Grant Eynon, who enjoyed considerable success with Risk, who had 23 starts in WA in 2016-17-18 for six wins and nine placings before continuing his career in America.
Greg and Skye Bond train Steel The Show, who was the $1.04 favourite from the No. 3 barrier on Friday night. He burst straight to the front and relished his pacemaking role as he beat $16 chance Hengheng by 5m at a 1.55 rate, with the final 800m taking 55.8sec.
Steel The Show is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the first foal out of the Falcon Seelster mare Steel The Light. He is the elder full-brother of the Bond-trained Jett Star, who has earned $131,821 from 13 wins and five placings from 24 starts. Jett Star’s most notable victory was in the Pearl Class in June 2020 when he defeated Lavra Joe.