The Kris Lees trained Rustemo has all the credentials required to win the Grafton Guineas Quality on Wednesday.
A winner of three of his four starts this preparation, the son of Russian Revolution justifiably tops the betting boards as the clearcut favourite for the Guineas at $2.90 … with the next best of offer being the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Champagne Hero at $4.80.
Rustemo, in fact, put a three race winning sequence together in his first three starts after resuming following a four month break from race action.
He won the Magic Millions Super Maiden at Scone over 1300m … made it back-to-back wins when saluting in a Class 1 Handicap at Hawksbury, also over 1300m … and then completed the hat-trick with a BM65 Handicap win over1400m at the Sunshine Coast.
That Sunshine Coast win also served as a warmup to Rustemo’s first step up into Group 3 company at the same track … and he duly competed in the Winx Guineas where, while his winning sequence did come to an end, he performed with great credit, claiming third spot after racing in a far from ideal cramped galloping room between the 400m and 200m marks.
That Winx Guineas run not only marked a step up in class, but also a step up in distance from 1400m to 1600 (in soft going) … the distance of the Grafton Guineas … a trip which Rustemo coped with well.
So, it would appear to be all systems go for the Lees trained runner. Aaron Bullock has the ride.
Champagne Hero ($4.80) and Hillier ($5.50) are the only other runners quoted at less than $11.
Champagne Hero is second-up, having finished unplaced over 1300m when resuming after a seven-and-a-half month layoff. He has to contend with the disadvantage of a barrier number fourteen draw here. Louis Beuzelin is in the saddle.
The Annabel and Rob Archbald trained Hillier comes into the race after also running in the Winx Guineas where he finished fourth, just 0.12 lengths behind Rustemo, but he now meets the favourite on 4.5kg worse at the weights.
Earlier in his career Hillier did finish fifth behind Autumn Boy in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
Robbie Dolan, who rode Hillier in his last two starts, takes the ride.
