Arctic Steps

The interesting thread running through Arctic Steps's career is his preference for normal ground. On fast, dry conditions, he has won twice from six races—a 33% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall form. It's the kind of detail that matters in racing: trainers and jockeys notice these things, and the yard will keep an eye on the ground before entering him next. His first career win came at Down Royal back in May 2025, and he has been a steady, if unremarkable, presence on the track ever since.

Recently, though, Arctic Steps has been struggling. His last six races read as a string of disappointments: seventh, eighth, ninth, then a fifth, a second, and another seventh at the most recent outing just a day ago. That run of poor form is the kind that tests a horse's the yard, yet the fact that he is still racing regularly suggests Ross O'Sullivan's yard at Kilcullen isn't giving up on him. Rory Cleary has ridden him five times, winning once, which gives little away about their partnership. With the yard in decent form this season—forty winners to their name—Arctic Steps remains a horse with time to find his feet again, but the window for improvement is narrowing with each indifferent run.