Rustic Steel is a chance to chase two rich races in the space of a week.
A plan that was six months in the making has come to fruition for trainer Kris Lees with Rustic Steel taking out the inaugural edition of the $2 million Big Dance in front of a vociferous Melbourne Cup Day crowd at Randwick.
Lees gang tackled the race with four runners, Rustic Steel having been aimed at the rich feature since qualifying for a start with his Scone Cup win in May.
The normally reserved trainer was thrilled to secure the win, although he admitted to a few nervous moments late in the race when Cisco Bay challenged, missing by a half-head.
“I went off a touch early and I started to pull back a bit that last 50 metres. But it was a great result,” Lees said.
“It means a lot. It’s $2 million.
“When you set horses for races since May, you want everything to go right and things can go wrong.
“I went to Melbourne on Saturday for one runner in the last race, it got kicked behind the barriers just before the gates opened and got scratched so you just never know with horses.”
Nash Rawiller found a good position midfield aboard Rustic Steel, keeping the horse out of trouble before launching his run down the outside with a sharp turn of foot.
Cisco Bay ($9.50) emerged from the pack with a serious challenge but couldn’t reel in Rustic Steel ($12), that pair clearing out by 1-1/4 lengths to Sibaaq ($6.50 equal fav) in third.
Rawiller said the winner travelled well in the run and did a superb job to cling to victory after hitting the front early.
After finishing out of the placings in two of the other lucrative races during the Sydney spring aboard Eduardo in The Everest and Vilana in the Golden Eagle, Rawiller was pleased to snare the $2 million Melbourne Cup Day showpiece.
“We couldn’t win an Everest, couldn’t win a Golden Eagle but very happy to win the Big Dance,” Rawiller said.
The winner’s stablemate Hosier started one of the fancies but jockey Frankie Dettori said he found the ground too firm and pulled up sore.
“They were expecting rain last night so it didn’t work out. Those horses, once they don’t like it, they just stop,” Dettori said.
Lees will see how Rustic Steel comes through the win before deciding whether he will back up in another $2 million race, the Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
