After being retired and failing to get in foal, Steinem is set to make her return to the track at Caulfield.

The Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) on Saturday will mark the Frankel mare’s first start since November 2023, when she finished eighth behind Deny Knowledge in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

Her standout performance came earlier that year at Caulfield in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m), where she defeated Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip.

Now owned by Yulong Investments, Steinem has returned to her original trainer, Ciaron Maher.

Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull confirmed that the ultimate goal is to get Steinem to Brisbane for the winter carnival, giving her another opportunity to add to her racing credentials before a second attempt at breeding.

“I would say, and this is without speaking to Yulong recently, that she would then try and get in foal again,” Turnbull said.

“She’s in good health and by the time the breeding season comes around, hopefully she will be at her peak to get into foal.”

Despite her time away from the Cranbourne stable, Turnbull said Steinem settled back in seamlessly, showing no signs of rust. However, she did return carrying extra weight.

“She had been retired, so we had to go through the processes of getting her re-instated to race, and she came back looking like she was in foal,” Turnbull said.

“It’s great to have her back. She is the same horse as when she left. Her mannerisms are the same, even in trackwork.

“She’s a class horse and we just hope that she can recapture some of the form she had when she was racing.”

Stablemate Chorlton Lane is also set to represent the Maher stable, making his return after a brief spell. His last start was on February 15, where he finished fourth behind Rise At Dawn in the Listed The Elms Handicap (1400m) at Flemington.

After a win in Canberra last November, Chorlton Lane placed third in The Supernova at Pakenham and followed up with Stakes placings at Sandown and Caulfield in January and February.

“He was in good form. He ran a huge race in The Supernova and was running well without winning, so we thought we would give him a breather,” Turnbull said.

“He carries good residual fitness. He’s only had the one jump-out and we didn’t have to put a lot of work into him.

“He’s a little pro and doesn’t need a lot of playing about and is always around the mark.”