NEWCASTLE trainer Kris Lees feels confident Big Dance champion Rustic Steel can emulate a successful turnaround from earlier this year when potentially backing up in Saturday's Five Diamonds at Rosehill.
The five-year-old gelding is now poised to run again just 96 hours after taking out the inaugural Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day, a similar scenario to The Coast-Scone Cup double in May.
Six months ago Rustic Steel, part of a memorable first Tuesday in November for Hunter racing connections, delivered back-to-back wins only six days apart.
Lees has now accepted a position in the upcoming $2 million feature, over a slightly longer 1800m distance, but says he will reassess Rustic Steel later in the week.
"He's in the Five Diamonds and we'll probably make a decision by Friday on whether or not he takes his place," Lees told the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.
"It was always a possibility because when he won the Scone Cup it was off a six-day turnaround. This is that little bit tighter into four days, but we'll see he does.
"As long as the horse is well within himself and we'll see how his blood profile comes back. There's a lot of things [to consider] and we won't run him unless everything's spot on."
Racing NSW officials revealed on Wednesday that Rustic Steel would be re-handicapped to carry 59 kilograms, two more than originally stated, because of his Big Dance result.
Drawn in barrier 10 and with jockey Jay Ford booked, the 2021-22 Newcastle horse of the year is now one of the top weights alongside group 1 Epsom winner Ellsberg.
Rustic Steel, unbeaten over three mile appearances and with eight wins from 17 career starts, held off a fast finishing Cisco Bay in Tuesday's Big Dance to complete Lees' long-held plan.
"I got pretty intense. It was tight late," Lees said.
"We'd set the horse for that race from the day he won the Scone Cup back in May. Lot of planning and a couple of little hiccups along the way, but it all worked out on the day."
Less than half an hour later, Gold Trip claimed a second Melbourne Cup for Hunter-based Australian Bloodstock directors Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett.
"Only 20 minutes apart. It was a beauty," Lees said.
Lees now turns his own attention to Flemington with Razeta and Luncies down to compete on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
Razeta, a lightly raced filly, lines up in the Off The Track Desirable Stakes (1400m) as part of Oaks Day while six-year-old gelding Luncies targets the group 3 Queen's Cup (2600m) this weekend.
Meanwhile, Lees said Big Dance runner Kedah (10th) will look to back up at Newcastle next Saturday as part of The Hunter meeting. Spanish Point (16th) and Hosier (20th) both likely spell.
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