News

Easter grad Rustic Steel wins inaugural $2m The Big Dance

1st Nov 2022

A six-month plan led to a big pay day at Randwick today when Easter graduate Rustic Steel won the inaugural $2m The Big Dance.

Moments after Rustic Steel won the Scone Cup back in May, trainer Kris Lees decided everything about the horse’s next six months would be focused on the first Tuesday in November at Randwick.

And thanks to a perfect ride by jockey Nash Rawiller, Rustic Steel and Lees – for owners Ron and Judy Wanless – enjoyed the ultimate satisfaction of a long-range plan coming to fruition.

Now a five-year-old, Rustic Steel has been lightly raced by Lees, with today’s win the eighth of his career at just start No.17.

Tasman Bloodstock’s Kieran Moore purchased Rustic Steel for $500,000 at the 2019 Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Newgate Farm.

Bred by Henry Field and Blake Sandblom, Rustic Steel (pictured) led in an Inglis graduates quinella in The Big Dance when defeating Cisco Bay.

“He was a beautiful yearling at Easter, a great type with a really strong pedigree behind him so he was never going to be cheap,’’ Moore said.

“We got him off Henry’s farm, Newgate raise them really well and this horse was no different.

“Kris has been so kind to him, looked after him and taken his time with him and this all came about straight after Scone Cup, they decided to target this race and now he’s won a $2m race.’’

Today’s win took Rustic Steel’s prizemoney earnings to $1.6m.

Winning trainer Lees added: “He qualified through the Scone Cup and that was on a six-day turnaround on the back of winning the Coast, so we put him away with this race in mind.

“We’ve got a base either end of the state and we try to target the right races. It’s a thrill to have four runners in it but it’s a bigger thrill to win it.

“I knew he would be strong, I was a little concerned the last 100m but he had enough in the tank.’’

Meanwhile at Flemington today, talented 3YO High Approach (Highland Reel) made it two wins from just five starts with a tough victory in the Listed TAB Trophy.

Coming off his Maiden success at Ballarat a little over a fortnight ago, High Approach was thrown in the deep end by his trainer Archie Alexander but the progressive galloper was up to the challenge, making it consecutive wins.

Alexander teamed up with Jeremy Rogers to buy High Approach for $50,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale, where he was offered by MB Thoroughbreds.

Bred by Dr Jude Mulholland, High Approach has now won $150,000 and has a promising future ahead.

In the last race on the card Vespertine (Epaulette) led in another Inglis graduates’ Stakes quinella when defeating Shelby SixtySix in the Listed MSS Security Sprint.

It was a valuable first Stakes success for Vespertine, who was previously G3 placed ahead of today.

Trainer Grahame Begg teamed up with Rohan Hughes to purchase Vespertine for $110,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Amarina Farm.

And Bartholomeu Dias’ win in the Listed Furphy Plate was a great result for Paul Harvey, who bought a 10% share in the Annabel Neasham-trained galloper in the Inglis Digital January (Early) Online Sale last year for $15,000.

Since then, the now 8YO has won more than $300,000 in prizemoney.

Entries for the Inglis Digital November (Early) Sale close at midnight tomorrow.

To enter CLICK HERE.