Sears warns Steady Ready doesn't have to lead in Gold Edition

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba co-trainer Tony Sears has long believed Steady Ready is the real deal and is confident his star colt can claim his first stakes race in the Gold Edition Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Steady Ready faces his moment of truth in the 1200 metre Listed feature when he confronts a strong field, including Tony Gollan’s rising stars Golden Boom and Spiritualised.

Steady Ready is being aimed at the inaugural $750,000 King Of The Mountain over 1200 metres on his home track on December 31 and possibly the $2 million Magic Millions Guineas over 1425 metres at the Gold Coast on January 14.

Spiritualised is a proven winner over 1200 metres but Golden Boom and Steady Ready are untried over the trip.

However, Sears has no doubt Steady Ready will handle the journey for the first time and has warned the Better Than Ready youngster doesn’t have to lead as he did in his only two wins.

“He doesn’t have to lead and he was ridden behind when he worked on Tuesday with two other horses,” Sears said.

“A lot of people are getting the impression he’s just an 800 metre horse, but he’s not.

“Just because he’s got blistering pace doesn’t mean he has to lead and I’ve ridden him behind in trials a number of times.”

Steady Ready just went down at his only previous attempt at stakes level when second to Exo Lady in the Listed Dalrello Stakes at Eagle Farm in April.

In his most recent start, Steady Ready strolled home in an all-the-way win when he fought off two challenges in a Benchmark race over 900 metres at the Gold Coast last month.

Tony trains in partnership with his daughter Maddysen Sears. 

Steady Ready was also an acceptor for the Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1200 metres but Sears confirmed he would start in the Gold Edition after drawing perfectly in barrier two.

“We accepted in the other race but that was only a back-up in case he drew bad in the Gold Edition,” he said.

“I’m very happy with his fitness and he’s in good condition.

“He’s got brilliant gate speed if we want to use it.

“When he led and won at the Gold Coast, I was pretty confident the other two outside him would drop off.”

Steady Ready clocked 49.76 seconds for the 900 metres trip and came home the last 600 metres in 32.3 seconds. 

Sears believes the Gollan pair are the logical dangers but won’t be surprised if there’s an upset in the Gold Edition.

“Golden Boom is very good judging by his two wins and so is Spiritualised but it’s a very strong field and it’s not just those two,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gollan has warned Golden Boom is not a definite start for next month’s $2 million Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast.

“He’s certainly no guarantee to start in the Guineas,” Gollan said.

“I don’t like getting to the bottom of my horses in their first preparation, particularly quality ones like him.

“I don‘t want to empty him out so I could put him away while he’s got something left in the tank.”