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By Ray Hickson

Rustic Steel can already be counted as a marvel for trainer Kris Lees and he’ll be out to add Saturday’s Group 2 $1 million Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m) to an impressive list of features.

Trainer Kris Lees (pic: Steve Hart).

And, after three second placings in the Hunter, put Lees on the honour roll of Newcastle’s now premier race.

The seven-year-old is a last start winner of the Listed Ladies Day Cup at Hawkesbury, he won the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes earlier this year, and in 2022 he claimed the inaugural Big Dance, Listed Scone Cup and The Coast at Gosford.

That’s why he has just over $2 million in the bank.

“He’s been a really good money spinner for connections, from his first start in a race when he won at Randwick,’’ Lees said.

“He broke the track record at Hawkesbury and that showed he’s still got some racing ahead of him.

“It was important he drew a nice gate or I might have reassessed him. It’s a hard race to win but, looking forward to Saturday, he’ll get the right set up and get his chance.”

Tactical Advantage ran second in the inaugural Hunter, as did Special Reward a year later and Wandabaa in 2021, while Saturday will be Rustic Steel’s second attempt at the race following a fifth placing behind Coal Crusher.

Rustic Steel, $23 with TAB on Wednesday, meets that horse 1kg better from last year but probably more significantly he’ll be having his fourth run of the preparation and coming off a win.

“Last year it was a stepping stone to get him to the Ingham whereas this year it’ll be fourth run in on a nine day turnaround so he’d be pretty ready,’’ Lees said.

“He ran well in the Hunter last year albeit he was only second-up that day off a long lay off so he’s probably going into it in better condition.

“And the gate allows him the opportunity to take up a forward spot.”

Lees admits it wasn’t Plan A to run in the Hunter having gone to 1500m at Hawkesbury, next week’s 1600m Illawarra Mercury Gong was looking more likely, but after the soft draw and considering his Newcastle record he’s warming to the gelding running well.

“We were trying to place him to find a bit of form which he did at Hawkesbury last week,’’ he said.

“He has a reasonably good back up record, albeit a nine day turnaround here. It looks like a race with enough pressure in to suit him.

“He won the Newmarket earlier in the year and he’s always raced pretty well at Newcastle.”

It’s likely had last year’s Little Dance winner Spangler not been returning from a 12 month absence he’d be lining up in the feature but Lees is being a bit conservative by restarting the grey’s career in the Ausure Insurance Newcastle Handicap (1300m).

The seven-year-old also won last year’s Provincial-Midway Championships but a suspensory issue has kept him off the scene.

Lees has given him three barrier trials and says he’ll be open to improvement.

“With a couple of runs under his belt he might have run in the Hunter,’’ he said.

“He’s coming up really well, he’s ready to go to the races but he’ll be better for the day out. The draw and the claim gives him the chance to run well.”

Of course, the leading Newcastle trainer is keen to win the Max Lees Classic (900m) and he’ll be well represented with Gobi Desert, a half-sister to In Her Time, and Rustemo debuting in the two-year-old opener named in honour of his legendary father.

Rustic Steel wins at Hawkesbury on November 7

The duo ran second and fourth respectively in a barrier trial at Scone and Lees said it’s hard to know what to expect in a race with plenty of question marks.

“I thought both trialled nicely without having flashing lights,’’ he said.

“I’m pleased with how they’ve come on off the back of that trial. It’s 900m on their home track, without knowing the depth of the race I think they’ll run in a competitive manner.”

Kris Lees on Éclair Encore (race 7): “She’s only a country maiden winner but it hasn’t come up that strong. I think she is a nice filly in time, whether we are getting to a stakes race a little early but with a filly with a bit of pedigree if she can place it’ll be to her advantage down the track.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Newcastle meeting