Step Irish Leger possible after German win

Second Step could be aimed at the Irish St Leger after landing the Group One Grosser Preis Von Berlin at Hoppegarten racecourse in Germany.

The Luca Cumani-trained four-year-old has improved at a rate of knots this season, after signing off his last campaign with a Listed win at the Curragh.

First time out he surprised Sir Michael Stoute's Telescope by winning the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket and was just touched off back at Headquarters by subsequent Goodwood Cup winner Big Orange.

Second Step appeared to be struggling in fifth under Jamie Spencer, not enjoying the soft ground, when the field turned into the straight.

However, Spencer got a final run out of his mount and he denied Ito deep inside the final furlong, with German Derby winner Nutan third.

After a lengthy wait for a Group One (since Presvis won in Dubai in 2011) Cumani has now won two in quick succession after Postponed won the King George at Ascot.

Cumani said: " This is the 13th country where I have won a Group race. I walked the track, which is very good. It's in great condition. This horse is very gutsy, he likes a long straight and just comes and comes and comes.

"The more you ask him, the more he finds. Craig (Bennett, owner) wants to go to the Irish St Leger, which makes sense. The distance and track will suit him."

Spencer, who was in double form at the Shergar Cup on Saturday, said: "He is quite lazy. Even before the race the other horses were jig-jogging at the start and he was just walking around as if he was at home at the stable. You have to motivate him and the good thing is that when you really go after him he finds plenty.

"He didn't break that well and ideally I would have liked to have sat in third, but we sat in fifth. But Ito set a good pace.

"I struggled around the turn, because they watered the bend yesterday and the ground was very loose, and he was stumbling and finding it hard to get a grip.

"My plan was always to keep holding his head around the turn, but that plan went out of the window when he was not travelling. Once we got on the better ground again, off he went. It's nice (to win a Group One in Germany), any Group One is nice, they are hard to get."

It had been an eventful day for Spencer, as he explained: "I came off my first ride at Hoppegarten and when I was in the hedge I got stung by a bee. I got into the ambulance and made the noise of a bee and pointed at my neck and they tried to put a neck brace on it. It was quite amusing."