Rustic Steel will return to what is arguably his favourite distance as he aims to give his trainer, Kris Lees, back-to-back victories in Saturday’s Group 2 The Ingham (1600m).
The seven-year-old has won half of his six starts over a mile, and Lees expects him to relish the Randwick journey following a solid fifth behind Briasa in The Hunter (1300m) last month.
That performance came just nine days after Rustic Steel claimed the Listed Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury, with Lees admitting that the distance drop dulled the gelding’s finishing sprint.
“He still ran well, but it was always a risk coming back in trip with a quick turnaround,” the trainer said.
“He will head to The Ingham and he’ll run well. It has been the logical target for him this time in.”
Rustic Steel finished 2.9 lengths behind stablemate Loch Eagle in the corresponding race last year, and he is proven over the Randwick mile, having won the 2022 Big Dance (1600m).
While The Ingham will mark his first start in almost a month, Rustic Steel has remained in top condition with a recent barrier trial win on Newcastle’s Beaumont track and will be partnered by Josh Parr, who also rode him to victory at Hawkesbury.
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