Kris Lees set to accept in Summer Cup with Tavi Time and Rustic Steel

Stablemates Rustic Steel and Tavi Time have never been tested over 2000m but trainer Kris Lees thinks Thursday could be the day to try.

Rustic Steel will be an acceptor in the Group 3 Summer Cup. Picture: Jenny Evans / Getty Images

Trainer Kris Lees believes it’s the right time to find out if Rustic Steel and Tavi Time can stretch out to 2000m as he prepares for a potential a two-pronged attack in Thursday’s Group 3 $250,000 Summer Cup at Royal Randwick.

Lees will accept with two runners in Sydney’s Boxing Day main event while both horses could also accept in the Maroubra Mile Benchmark 100 at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The temptation to test Rustic Steel and Tavi Time over more ground has put the Summer Cup high on Lees’ agenda.

Rustic Steel has won at the mile but has never raced over more than 1600m during his 31-start career.

The son of Deep Field has been racing well this preparation and was unlucky not to finish among the placings last start when an unlucky fifth in the Group 2 The Ingham.

ROBUSTO wins The Ingham!

A big day for @BBakerRacing & @Darby_Racing claiming another feature at Randwick with the Ingham-bred gelding defying Steparty in the $2m Group 2 with Encap running into third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/Ltk0bCfgdu

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) December 14, 2024

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“We have always toyed with the idea of 2000m for Rustic Steel,” Lees said.

“He is ultra-consistent and fit and well.

“He gets in OK at the weights (59kg) so we are happy to give him his chance.

“I think we should have been in the placings the other day (in The Ingham) with more luck.”

Tavi Time missed a run in The Ingham and finished third in a Benchmark 88 over 1800m on the same card.

The son of Tavistock has been forced to carry big weights throughout this preparation but has just 54kg on his back in the Summer Cup.

Tavi Time is a contender for the Summer Cup. Picture: Bradley Photos

“Tavi Time, we just want to get him in a race where he is down in the weights,” Lees said.

“He has carried a big weight most of this preparation and was narrowly beaten over 1800m as a three-year-old.

“We went amiss after that and had a little issue but we were thinking he could get to a Derby.

“Whether he is a genuine 2000m horse, we are happy to give him his chance why he is fit.”

The final field for the Summer Cup will be revealed on Monday morning with the likes of Townsend and Naval College among the nominations.

Boxing Day is shaping as the second most attended raceday of the year at Royal Randwick with a crowd of more than 20,000 revellers expected on course.

The annual meeting has become one of the biggest on the calendar for the Australian Turf Club with Sydney’s Irish expat community set to turn out in big numbers.