Spring was well and truly in the air at the Donald jumpouts last week, with some class gallopers gearing up for a tilt at city features and country cups. 
Of the Wimmera horses, Andrew Bobbin’s Apsley Cup winner Miracle Spin was worth noting, asked for an effort to win his 1050-metre heat ahead of resuming in the Coleraine Cup on Friday, where you’d suspect he’ll be better for the outing. 
Paul Preusker’s pair Steparty and Torranzino gave the indication they’re on track for fruitful campaigns, while Dane Smith’s comeback galloper Te Awam Utu won her 850-metre jumpout in slick time (50.55) at the back end of the morning. 
The six-year-old daughter of Cluster has just three race starts to her name, but returned from more than a year off the scene with an eye-catching effort. She jumps out again at Ararat this week and bears watching when she returns to the races.
The most interesting runner for the morning was Neil Dyer’s recent acquisition Lim’s Ida, who crossed the line with Miracle Spin in the opening heat of the morning, travelling far the better of the two. 
The ex-Singapore galloper failed to strike a blow for Dan Meagher in eight starts after landing in Australia, and did little in two subsequent starts for Dyer on the dirt in Darwin. 
A let-up and a return to grass spurred an encouraging effort at Donald — albeit in a jumpout — and the eight-year-old could show up at odds on resuming in the coming weeks.
We’ll have a recap of Thursday’s huge set of Ararat jumpouts next week.
Christmas party
Paul Preusker’s remarkable run of early-season form stretched across the Tasman last Sunday when 10-year-old jumper Christmas ($3.30) triumphed in the Great New Zealand Steeplechase at Te Aroha. 
The gelded son of Palace Episode outlasted his rivals in the gruelling 6200-metre event, given a patient ride by Darryl Horner junior before proving the superior jumper/stayer in the closing stages. 
It was a bold move by the Horsham-based trainer to take his horse to New Zealand at the end of his first jumping season, in which he’d claimed the Casterton Chase by a whopping 10 lengths six weeks earlier.