Crossword Genius

Stimulate early leftist to maintain steady progress (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

jogtrot

'maintain steady progress' is the definition.
(horse-riding term)

'stimulate early leftist' is the wordplay.
'stimulate' becomes 'jog' (jogging is a kind of stimulating).
'early leftist' becomes 'trot' (short for Trotskyist).
'jog'+'trot'='JOGTROT'

'to' is the link.

(Other definitions for jogtrot that I've seen before include "boring routine" , "exercise" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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