In his first raceday appearance since winning at Rosehill in February, consistent galloper Step Aside (NZ) (Redwood) returned to action on a winning note in the A$160,000 Terry Marskell Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The Benchmark 78 handicap was the fifth victory of a 21-start career for the New Zealand-bred gelding, who has placed on another eight occasions and has earned A$375,600 for an OTI Racing ownership group.
Representing the champion expat New Zealand trainer-jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald, Step Aside was sent out as a $3.40 favourite on Saturday and the five-year-old lived up to that top billing.
McDonald rode a patient race on Step Aside, settling in third-last and allowing him time to build up his momentum after rounding the home turn.
Step Aside warmed into his work and ranged up alongside the front-running Deprivation (No Nay Never) at the 100m mark. He finished over the top of that rival in the final few strides and scored by a head.
“Step Aside made it back to back wins for his connections with an impressive run for Chris Waller and James McDonald,” OTI Racing said on Facebook. “Good to see this talented gelding continue his good from.” By Redwood out of the winning Roc de Cambes mare Teena Rox (NZ), Step Aside began his career with Cambridge trainer Ralph Manning, winning an 800m trial on the Cambridge synthetic before his sale to OTI.