Victorian trainer Paul Preusker chasing Sydney riches in The Ingham

Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has a two-pronged attack on the $2m The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday with Steparty and Poison Chalice.

Steparty is one of the leading chances in Saturday’s $2 million The Ingham. Photo: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images.

Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has a two-pronged attack on the $2 million The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday with Steparty and Poison Chalice.

Poison Chalice, drawn barrier two, is on the quick back-up after running fourth in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) last Saturday as favourite.

Poison Chalice should appreciate the drop in distance and has blinkers on for the first time.

The five-year-old gelding is rated $15 with Ladbrokes, with Steparty at $17.

Steparty has placed third the past three starts including The Gong most recently behind The Ingham favourite Gringotts ($4).

Steparty, a one-time boom horse, showed glimpses of his best form three starts back when he loomed to win a Group 2 at Flemington until Another Wil and Jimmysstar sailed past.

The four-year-old gelding charged late to run third in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarkes Stakes two starts back at Caulfield.

He finished third again seven days later in The Gong – 2-1/4 lengths behind Gringotts.

GRINGOTTS WINS THE GONG! 🏆

What a dominant performance in what has been an unbelievable few months of racing for @cmaherracing! pic.twitter.com/3IZxes06Or

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 23, 2024

Steparty has a further 2kg advantage on the favourite in The Ingham.

“Everything is coming together, I guess at this level you still need a bit of luck,” Preusker said.

“He’s there with his hand up, he just needs the luck and away we go again, hopefully.”

After a sparkling juvenile campaign, unbeaten at two and then Group 1 Caulfield Guineas placed as a spring three-year-old, Steparty went off the boil as a colt.

He failed to fire in Queensland winter campaign, which prompted Preusker and connections to geld the son of Artie Schiller.

Steparty raced soundly fresh and second-up as a gelding, without fanfare, before he rediscovered form at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Berkeley Square wins the Ballarat Cup! 🏆@[e-mail]/4LS4lkZ1LU

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) December 7, 2024

Preusker has maintained the faith throughout.

“It was a quick turnaround from the Gold Coast, he spelled up there (after Queensland runs) and was gelded late,” Preusker said.

“He didn’t have a big window to get into that (eighth in the Schillaci Stakes), it was put him together and use the first couple as a trial.

“By the second one (sixth in the McEwen Stakes second-up) I thought I got the job right.

“He’s a horse I could see still poking around at seven and eight, a good sound horse and as long as we look after him we’ll be right.”

Jockey Blaike McDougall has retained the ride on Steparty, drawn ideally in barrier six, while Sydney rider Jason Collett will partner Poison Chalice.

Preusker also has Torranzino in an 1800m race at Randwick on Saturday with McDougall aboard.

Originally published as Victorian trainer Paul Preusker chasing Sydney riches in The Ingham