Mick Mulholland is preparing for a quiet period but Steamin' ensured there was still time for yet another captivating cup win on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Under another brilliant, controlled ride from Greg Ryan the tough-as-nails Steamin' came from last to surge home and take out the $29,000 XXXX Gold Parkes Cup (1600m).
It capped off a fine preparation after a fourth in the Wellington Cup first-up before a promising fourth at Canterbury last start.
Wellington-based Mulholland had recently said a spell looms for not only Steamin' but a number of his current gallopers.
Sunday's win for Mulholland came on the back of last month's Orange Gold Cup win with Reward Seeker while it further boosted the already impressive feature record of Steamin'.
READ ALSO:
After wins in the Forbes Cup and $100,000 Dubbo Gold Cup last year, Sunday's win made it 10 wins in 55 career starts for Steamin' and took his career earnings past the $275,000 mark.
"He's just an honest, tough, old horse," Mulholland said the Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win.
"I didn't think he'd handle this track because the track is a little but it was just patience. Patience helps."
The patience came from Ryan, who had no concerns early on as the race panned out as expected.
The hot hot $2.30 favourite Assault'N'Bathory, trained by Danielle Seib and ridden by Winona Costin, booted clear early while Mackellar's Love ($31) and Darren Hyde's and Mr Epic ($26) also pushed forward.
Assault'N'Bathory was out by two-and-a-half lengths at one point midway through the journey while Steamin' sat at the very back and the Kody Nestor-trained Toulon Brook (4), another fancied hope, sat just off the pace.
Seib's hope led well into the turn for home and while Ryan still had plenty to do there was never any rush.
Toulon Brook moved forward to pressure the leader but when space appeared for Ryan and Steamin' they took it, moving from the rails to the middle of the track before flashing home in a huge way.
They went on to win by almost a half-length from Toulon Brook while Assault'N'Bathory was left with third.
The day's feature sprint event, the Over The Line Racing Satellite Handicap (1200m), was run by Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm.
It made it two wins on the bounce for the six-year-old after a first-up win at Narromine last time out.
At Parkes. Ryan was again in the saddle as Good Time Charlie ($3.30 favourite) won from the fast-finishing pair of Caszar ($51) and Demonstrate ($31).
Both Lundholm and Mulholland will have chances in at Monday's Dubbo Turf Club meeting.