He won't be known as Steel Of Madrid much longer but the imported galloper has pleased new trainer Tony McEvoy with the way he has settled in at the Werribee quarantine centre.
McEvoy first laid eyes on Steel Of Madrid on Sunday before the son of Lope De Vega cantered over 1400m on the Werribee course proper on Tuesday morning.
Unfortunately for connections, Steel Of Madrid won't carry his current name when he debuts in Saturday week's Caulfield Stakes because a Tony Noonan-trained galloper carries that moniker in Australia.
"We have got to change his name and we couldn't change it until he arrived so they are in the process of changing his name," McEvoy said.
"Because he is staying here, it has to be a different name. If they come and then leave they can put a 'my' or an 'our' on the front like the Kiwis."
McEvoy said his son Calvin stayed in England for nine weeks preparing Steel Of Madrid for his Australian trip, getting the five-year-old on an Australian-style feeding regimen as soon as possible.
McEvoy said Steel Of Madrid's maiden Australian preparation would consist of three Group I starts but he expects the entire to improve on whatever he does in the spring.
"He's a 2000m horse. That's what he is," McEvoy said. "He can run a mile-and-a-half but the three races are the Caulfield Stakes, Cox Plate and the Mackinnon (Stakes) that we thought we'd run him in.
"In the Cox Plate, there's a hurdle there with a mare called Winx, but they are the races we have bought him for and we'll run him.
"We won't be expecting too much this year. We'll be learning about him but I don't think Winx will be around next year and this horse will be better next year."
McEvoy said Steel Of Madrid, a Group III winner in England, would do a quicker piece of work on Wednesday but was unlikely to have a hard gallop before the Caulfield Stakes.
"I'm just going to trust him. He has been in work all year, this horse, so he won't be doing much going into the Caulfield Stakes," McEvoy said.
"He'll have his serious hit-out on the 14thof October at Caulfield, hopefully. "
