Cassidy's canny ride too good for Tracer A JIM CASSIDY masterclass in the art of front-running riding ensured Steps In Time was too strong for the highly fancied Red Tracer at Rosehill on Saturday. The two mares were all the rage in betting heading into the 1200-metre NSW Thoroughbred Breeders Classic but a more relaxed Steps In Time fought off two challenges from Red Tracer in the home straight to win by a long neck. "She's come back so much stronger this time and she's not as aggressive as she was last prep," Cassidy said. I just ambled across, had a couple who wanted to come across but she listened today and came back. I'm pleased she backed off that bit of aggressiveness. It's a good training performance ... she's a big plus. Trainer John O'Shea said despite Red Tracer's great slow track and first-up form, all the signs pointed to an even better Steps In Time, which won a group 3 race last preparation. "The evidence by her trials said she was going very well and it's a family that traditionally goes better as it gets older, and she's probably better in the autumn than she is in the spring," O'Shea said. He [Cassidy] kept her on the bit as long as he could and he was aware there was a bit of cut in the track. Red Tracer's jockey Hugh Bowman couldn't fault his mare's effort despite failing to run down the winner. "She went really well," Bowman said. In fact, it was a winning sort of a run only we didn't get there. Cassidy took advantage of the inside running before the track, which was rated a dead 5, started to rip up as the meeting went on. "The track is pretty testing early," the jockey said. She got a little bit tired, but I saved ground a couple off the fence. I had a little bit left in the tank and a few of them were resuming today. Steps In Time has failed to run a strong mile in the past but Cassidy is confident her new-found maturity will have her hitting the line hard in mile races this autumn. She's certainly a lot stronger and a much more relaxed horse. This could be her preparation and she'll be able to run out the mile this time in," Cassidy said. Steps In Time's win was made even more sweet for owner Neil Hoar, who was celebrating his birthday while watching his mare salute the judge.