1 week Ago By Josh Callinan
FRESH off a listed win and having experience in the same race 12 months ago, Kris Lees-trained Rustic Steel will fly the local flag in this weekend's $1 million The Newcastle Herald Hunter. Login or signup to continue reading The seven-year-old gelding ended up the sole representative in the final field, released on Wednesday, with Scott Aspery's dual acceptor Uzziah opting for a later race on the Newcastle program. Fourteen horses will now take their place in Saturday's group 2 event, run over 1300 metres, with Charm Stone also scratched.
Briasa was the early market favourite on TAB fixed odds, priced at $2.90, followed by Kosciusko winner Far Too Easy ($4), top weight Private Eye ($7) and defending champion Coal Crusher ($10). Lees admits "it would be great to win" the hometown feature, but knows competition will be tough to take out the sixth edition of The Hunter.
"It's been a strong race every year and it looks like a strong edition again this year," Lees said. Rustic Steel arrives on the back of victory in the listed Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury last Thursday (November 7), also clocking a track record of one minute, 27.38 seconds.
"We'll give him his chance in better company off the back of a good win last week," Lees said. "He's always competitive no matter where we run him, so I expect him to run well." Rustic Steel has 10 wins from 29 career starts, including the Scone Cup and inaugural $2 million Big Dance both over the mile distance in 2022.
Three times Rustic Steel has stuck success at home, featuring the group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) in March this year. He finished fifth in the Hunter in 2023. "He was only second up and drew off the track [in Hunter last year] so had to go back," Lees said.
"It was a really good run, so hopefully a bit better suited this year." Rustic Steel has drawn barrier three with jockey Tim Clark carrying 57.5 kilograms.
"Timmy's a world-class rider so lose nothing there," Lees said. "A nice gate which is important, so she'll get the right type of run." Earlier this week Rustic Steel was joined in the initial Hunter nominations by stablemates Spangler and Infancy , now running in race 10 and Caulfield respectively on Saturday.
Infancy stays down south after being part of the Victorian spring carnival recently while Spangler returns for the first time since winning the Little Dance on Melbourne Cup day last year. Lees has nine chances across the 10-race card at Newcastle. Japanese three-year-old filly Eclair Encore, with four trials and three races during 2024, saddles up in the group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m).
"Jumps a lot in grade here but just thought it was right to give her that exposure, she's going to be a lot better in the autumn and winter," Lees said. Australian Bloodstock's Rustemo and Yu Long Investment's Gobi Desert carry the family hopes in the opening Max Lees Classic (900m). "Pretty hard to line that all up, but nice horses both of them," he said.
"Not a big field and all inexperienced horses, so think they'll both be competitive." Local jockey Andrew Gibbons has been booked to ride $101 shot Diamond Diesel in the Hunter. Asprey made the decision to switch Uzziah from the Hunter to a benchmark 98 handicap (1300m) on Wednesday.
"Was a dual acceptor and going to run in a race I think we can win as opposed to one where we're hoping to finish in the top half of the field," Aspery said. Highly-fancied UK import Wyclif was the early $4 favourite in the listed Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle on Saturday with Australian Bloodstock's Herman Hesse to be piloted by Dylan Browne McMonagle. The fourth event, a benchmark 78 handicap over 1600m, has been named the Lauren Parker Legend Mile in honour of the local Paralympic gold medallist.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald.
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