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

Media Release - Wednesday November 2
A six-month plan led to a big pay day at Randwick on Tuesday 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.
Rustic Steel
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, 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
Advertisment
More Reading...
Castelvecchio Filly Records Promising Victory
Having placed in her first two starts, the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained Street Lark (Castelvecchio) appeared to appreciate the step up to the 1500m of Wednesday’s Sportsbet Get On Extra Plate at Caulfield to break her maiden with a promising performance..
Queensland Calling for Exciting Wootton Bassett Colt
Champion trainer Chris Waller is renowned for producing talented back season juveniles that blossom into stakes performers and we saw one at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when heavily backed Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Regulated Affair opened his account.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday May 6
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
French Derby Contender for Godolphin
The Godolphin winning run continued in France overnight with a French Derby contender emerging in the shape of progressive Lope de Vega colt Cualificar, who is out of Fastnet Rock’s Group I Epsom Oaks winner Qualify.
First Season Highlights – These Guys Made an Impression
The Inglis Australian Weanling Sale gave buyers the opportunity to have a first look at the progeny of a new crop of  first season sires and the big banger of the group duly produced the highest priced baby from this cohort of sires.
Rising Stars - Metro 2YO Double for Wootton Bassett
Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) unleashed not one but two exciting juveniles at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with the opening race going to the colt Regulated Affair and shortly after it was the turn of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained filly Agarwood.
Blueblood Wins G3 Newcastle Stakes
It was a race for the long shots, but a blueblood six year-old gelding was the winner with Rustic Steel producing a career best performance to trounce 200-1 shot Sharp Shock and 100-1 shot Imatruestar in the $250,000 Group III Newcastle Stakes (1400m) on Friday.
Newgate Bred and Sold Blueblood Wins Ladies Day Cup
The $200,000 Listed Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury on Oaks Day produced another stakes win for Deep Field gelding Rustic Steel, who has now won over $2million in prizemoney.
First Win for Sword of State Half-Sister
Well-related filly Paravane broke through for her maiden win in pleasing fashion at Ellerslie on Wednesday when taking out the Join TAB Racing Club 1200 in the hands of senior hoop Vinnie Colgan.
Million Dollar Goal for I Am Invincible Filly
Tony and Calvin McEvoy landed a lucrative victory in the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic in May last year with Arabian Summer and are hopeful they have another filly that can do the job this year in Sisstainable.