Summer Cup 2024 option for Lees gallopers

Trainer Kris Lees is planning to accept for both Rustic Steel and Tavi Time in the Group Three Summer Cup at Randwick, with the option to test both gallopers over 2000m for the first time in their careers.

Rustic Steel is coming off a last-start fifth in the Group 2 The Ingham at Randwick while Tavi Time was placed in an 1800m benchmark-88 on the same program on December 14.

Seven-year-old Rustic Steel heads the weights for Thursday’s Summer Cup (2000m) with 59kg, which has attracted 21 nominations, while Tavi Time is weighted on the minimum with 54kg.

“I’m going to accept with both,” Lees said.

“Both horses have never been out to 2000 metres but we’ve always had an inkling with Rustic Steel that if the right race presented we would give him that chance.

“And at this stage we’ll accept. He’s in okay with 59 kilos.”

Lees also has Rustic Steel and Tavi Time entered for the Maroubra Mile – a 1600m benchmark 100 race – at Randwick two days after the Summer Cup and indicated they would likely make a final call on where to run the pair after acceptances.

Acceptances for the Summer Cup are taken on Monday while acceptances for Saturday’s meeting close a day later.

“We could easily then accept the next day for Saturday as well, given they close Tuesday,” the trainer said.

Rustic Steel won the Listed Ladies Day Vase (1500m) at Hawkesbury three starts ago before finishing fifth in both The Hunter (1300m) and The Ingham (1600m).”I think he’s going terrific,” Lees said of the winner of 10 of his 31 starts.

“You could make a case he should have been right in the finish in the Ingham.

“He was ridden a treat from the gate but then he just couldn’t get back out at a vital stage, with his weight.

“That was off the back of a couple of nice runs leading into that, so I think he’s in good order.”

A winner of seven of his 17 starts, five-year-old Tavi Time finished fourth as favourite in the Big Dance (1600m) three starts ago having won his way into that $3 million race with a dominant Mudgee Cup win in December last year.

In his past two starts Tavi Time has lumped 59kg after the 3kg claim of apprentice Ben Osmond, finishing close thirds in benchmark-88 races over 1600m at Kembla and 1800m at Randwick.

“Tavi Time, you could say has been a touch disappointing,” Lees said.

“He’s had his chance his last couple but I’m also looking forward to getting him down in weight.

“Ben has ridden him well in his last two, with the 62 kilos less his three kilo claim, but I’d just like to see him down in the weights to give him his chance.

“He’s a bit of a fine horse and I always thought he would be a staying type.

“I don’t know if those (recent) runs would suggest he wants the 2000 metres but I’m interested to try him at some stage.”

Lees said Tavi Time was luckless in a race over 1820m in Brisbane earlier in his career.