Record burden no issue for Stern Idol in Brierly Steeplechase

As Steven Pateman steered Stern Idol towards the hill's base in the Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool, trainer Ciaron Maher's earlier comments were fresh in his mind.

The rider was on board Tuesday's $2.10 top pick at the Tozer Road double for the 3450m steeplechase, the key event kicking off the three-day Warrnambool Carnival.

"When I’m in a race, I can hear Ciaron's instructions in the back of my mind," Pateman told racing.com.

"And Ciaron actually said, don’t be dragging him around that turn, a big horse and with that recent rain on the ground.

"He did slip a little bit on the ground, and it was probably lucky that Aaron Lynch booted up (on Castrofrancaru), and I didn’t start pulling him around."

In Tuesday's race, Stern Idol hauled a modern-era mark of 75kg to the finish for victory, topping the 73kg weight he managed to win with in the 2024 renewal.

Stern Idol surrendered the lead after guiding the field to the hill's foot but stormed back to the front 1000m from home, ultimately prevailing by 4-½ lengths ahead of Hit The Road Jack ($2.60) with Castrofrancaru ($15) trailing by a further 2-½ lengths for third.

According to Pateman, the moment Stern Idol was collared post-Tozer Road double fired up the gelding.

"Once they headed him, he said 'hang on a minute'," Pateman said.

"He felt like he had 55 kilos on his back, not 75 (kg). He’s a big unit and I’m just lucky.

"He's super special."

Each year, Maher relishes coming back to Warrnambool, the place where he started out as a jumps jockey before building a small stable in the seaside town.

Now boasting one of the nation's premier training outfits, he still holds dear the jumpers, and this success gave him his fifth Brierly Steeplechase conquest.

Maher revealed feeling tense as the runners inside Stern Idol jumped across to the straight, though he lauded Pateman's poise.

"I was a bit nervous at the bottom of the hill, but Steve was cool, calm and collected," Maher said.

"He's been such a good horse over a number of years, and it is a credit to the entire team and the owners as well."

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