With just six stories to go one could be forgiven for thinking I had left the best until last, but each of these last six raced exactly within my chronological time frame and, in my opinion, would have been an outstanding champion in ANY decade they raced, some being the best I have ever seen! So read on and enjoy these last six stories.
GREAT HARNESS HORSES 1960-1980
PURE STEEL
It was Inter Dominion time in Sydney in February 1973 and the annual yearling sale had been organised to coincide with the influx of overseas and interstate visitors. Because of the large number of entries the sale was held over two days rather than the traditional one. Lot number 149, on the first day of the sale, was a nice looking colt by Toledo Hanover from Pure Band. This regally bred colt had the blood of Adios, Hal Dale and Volomite running through his veins courtesy of his sire, while his dam, Pure Band, was a daughter of Bandbox, the 1947 Inter Dominion winner, and carried the blood of Globe Derby. If ever a horse was bred to be a champion he was, and so it turned out.
Despite his impeccable breeding, lot number 149 sold for only $2400, the 17th most expensive horse at a sale where the average price for the colts was $1810. The highest priced horse of the sale was purchased by the late Eddie Sims for the late Jack Honan, paying a new Australian record price of $7,700 for a Sheer Genius- Princess Shirley colt.
The new owner of lot 149 was Perth bookmaker, Russell Roberts, no newcomer to harness racing, and already the owner of the 1973 W.A. Pacing Cup winner, James Eden. Mr. Roberts also bought a full sister to James Eden, paying $5,600 for the Morris Eden- Mitzie Design filly. But it was his earlier, and cheaper, purchase, lot number 149, that would prove one of the bargain buys of the century and become an absolute legend in this country racing as Pure Steel.
Pure Steel, or ‘Steelo’ as he became known, had his first start 14 months later at Pinjarra in a 2yo event running 3rd. Twelve days later he fell in a similar event at Gloucester Park and was immediately spelled. He resumed as a 3yo on 22-11-74 in a heat of the Sires Produce at GP and won first up after leading the outside runners. Even at this early stage of his career he was setting the stage for his trademark racing style of grinding them into the ground from the ‘death seat’! In the final a week later he finished 2nd to Ramon Adios. Given a 2 month breather he next raced at Harvey on 2-1-75 winning a 3yo event from 20 metres and a month later won again, this time from 30 metres. Back to GP off 10 metres and he finished 3rd to Fort Regal but he then won his last 3 starts as a 3yo. The first of these was at Northam off 40 metres and he then returned to GP for the Derby. He won his heat on 7-3-75 and the following week won the final from Yerilla Court. He was then spelled. As a 2yo he had two starts for just one placing but as a 3yo had 8 starts for 6 wins and 2 placings.
Given 8 months off to develop he resumed at GP on 7-11-75 and ran 2nd to Main Morris but 3 weeks later, at Pinjarra, won his first 4yo event. Taken back to GP on 13-12-75, he won a heat of the Pacing Gift and the following week won the final by a head from Ala Moana. Two months later, and still at GP, he came off 30 metres in a 4yo event and won easily running fast time. Despite him still being a relatively inexperienced 4yo pacer he was then taken to Globe Derby for the 1976 Inter Dominion series.
Somebody, probably his connections, expected big things from Pure Steel in the series, as he was backed for a small fortune prior to the first night. In his first heat on 7-2-76 he ran 4th to the much more experienced (32 wins) Don’t Retreat but 4 nights later really set the harness world ‘buzzing’ when he won his 2nd night heat in sensational fashion from Micron and Don’t Retreat and rated 1-59 1/10, an Australian record for 9 furlongs. He was last early then 3 wide the entire last lap and still 6 lengths off the leader on the home turn but absolutely stormed home to win by 2 metres. It was the fastest mile rate ever recorded in a race beyond one mile in Australia and he was also the first horse to break 2.0 in in a race in South Australia. In the final set of heats he ran 2nd to Speedy Guest and went into the final at a very safe 3-1. In one of the biggest upsets in ID history, the ‘despised outsider’, Carclew, led all the way to win. Pure Steel settled 5th, 3 back on the rails, and was there until they entered the last lap where his driver got him off the fence but he was STILL locked in as other horses made their runs 3 wide. He didn’t get clear until the home straight and flew home to go under by just 3 metres with Don’t Retreat, who was last with one lap to go, storming throught he middle of the field to get 3rd. All honours, however, were with the winning driver, Chris Lewis, at 20 years of age the youngest person to drive a grand final winner. At this time Pure Steel was trained and driven by Fred Kersley, but after his run in the final was taken off Kersley and given to the owner’s son, Mark Roberts, to train.
Two months later, and back home at GP, he won a heat of the Easter Handicap but the following week could only finish 5th in the final behind Deep Decor. At his last start as a 4yo, on 23-4-76, he easily won a GP 2-18 (M4) class event from 10 metres. As a 4yo Pure Steel had 12 starts for 7 wins and 3 placings and was already firmly entrenched as a serious contender on the up coming Grand Circuit trail.
Given 5 months off, Pure Steel resumed at GP on 3-9-76 and won first up however a month later he ran 2nd in a FFA. Seven nights later he won the Richmond Navy Cup by 30 metres after starting off 20 metres. He then travelled to Victoria to begin his quest for glory at the highest level, his first start there being in the time honoured Kilmore Cup. Off 15 metres, he was last until the 1600 metre mark where he raced around the field to sit outside the leader. Establishing his ‘trademark’ racing style against a top class field, he refused to give in and beat Don’t Retreat with Paleface Adios third rating 2-6 for the standing start 2600 metre event.
Five nights later he was at MV for the inaugural MV Gold Cup and finished 3rd, beaten 1 metre and a half a head, to Markovino and Paleface Adios. Next was the Winfield Cup a week later where he was beaten a head by Don’t Retreat. Six nights later he was at HP for the running of the inaugural Australian Pacing Championship. On the first night he won after being last early then going around the field to sit outside the leader for the last 2 laps. On the 2nd night he ran 6th to Regal Belmont. He was well back early but made his run 3 and 4 wide in the last lap. He looked a very strong winning chance on the home turn when he suddenly veered in towards the rails at the same tine as Wilbur Post left a rails position to make HIS run. As both horses looked like colliding his driver, Steve Shinn, checked him away from Wilbur Post and he galloped, losing his momentum. In the final he was away well and settled into the 1×1 spot trailing Don’t Retreat. At the bell he moved up 3 wide and challenged, eventually reaching the lead coming into the home straight. Just when it looked like he had the race in his keeping Markovina came with a late burst and just got him on the line, winning by a head, but the race was NOT over yet! Steve Shinn protested claiming interference in the home straight but the protest was dismissed and Markovina officially won the inaugural Australian Pacing Championship. A month later he was back home to contest his first W.A. Pacing Cup.
Despite his 20 metre handicap he won on the first night beating Paleface Adios and Royal Force, however on the second night he could only finish 8th to the flying Paleface Adios. He won again on the third night beating Nevada Smoke and Royal Force and went into the final as a very safe 7-2 second favourite. From his 20 metres back mark he was well back early but his class showed in a fast run race and he beat Ex Adios by 3 metres with Tulyar Prince 3rd. It was the first of his FOUR consecutive Pacing Cups!
A month later he was beaten a ½ head by Markovina in a MV FFA and a week later was again 2nd to the same horse in a similar event, this time beaten a head. All this, however, was just a ‘warm up’ for the main event, the A.G. Hunter Cup on 19-2-77. A huge croud of over 24,000 people turned up to see the initial running of this classic event from the mobile barrier, and they were’nt to be disappointed. Markovina went straight to the lead with Pure Steel 3 wide early until he went up into the ‘death seat’. When Don’t Retreat made a move from the rear of the field he put Steelo into the coveted 1×1 spot. On the home turn the last time these 3 horses were locked together but Pure Steel forged ahead with Paleface Adios and Royal Force coming late to take the minors.
Three weeks later he ran last in his first Miracle Mile at HP. During the score up he paced roughly and then broke and was tailed off. Despite being so far back he chased the field and still only finished 5 lengths from the winner. Eight nights later he was back at MV for the Marathon over 2 miles. Pure Steel was unbeatable on the night running a new world record rate, 2-2½, for the marathon event, with 10 metres to Don’t Retreat and Gallagher 3rd. He then travelled to Queensland for the Inter Dominion series. Showing the effects of the long hard season, he raced well below his best, finishing 6th on the 1st night, winning on the second night and running 2nd, beaten 30 metres by Sporting Son, on the third night. In the final he finished an inglorious last to Stanley Rio. He had been racing non stop for 7 months at the highest level and was immediately spelled. As a 5yo pure Steel had 22 starts for 10 wins and 7 placings.
Pure Steel resumed 5 months later as a 6yo and had, as his first up start, a time trial at Richmond (W.A.) running 1-58 and setting a new track record. Two weeks later he was in Melbourne for a mobile FFA. He was 3 wide early and was stuck there for a lap until he got outside the leader, but he could only finish 2nd, beaten 2 metres by Infield. A week later he won the Winfield Sprint in 1-58½ and the following week contested the Winfield Cup. This attracted a top class field, as it usually does, and in a desperate finish he was 2nd, beaten a ½ neck by Paleface Adios with Rip Van Winkle a ½ head away 3rd. Next was the Kilmore Cup but he found his 25 metre handicap just too much and he finished 2nd to Infield. Two weeks later he started off 25 metres at MV and showed all his class by winning easily in Australian record time for the S/S 2900 metres event. Fourteen days later he started in a similar event, this time off 30 metres, and won once again despite being 3 wide for the entire last lap. He then travelled to Globe Derby for the Australian Pacing Championship.
His win on the first night was sensational for MORE reasons than just his performance. He suffered a leg injury early in the week then injured his near hind leg the day before the race. He was given a full vet inspection on track before being allowed to start. Punters sent him out a 1-1 favourite despite his 15 metre handicap and his injury scares. Pure Steel was last early, as expected, but made his run from the rear of the field with a lap to go. Despite being forced 3 wide for the entire last lap he took the lead halfway down the straight and won by 2 metres from Roma Hanover setting a new track record rating 2-3 9/10 for the 2250 metre event. Three nights later he won his 2nd heat by 6 metres from Diamante Hanover setting another new track record and went into the final as the hottest of favourites at 1-5! He found, however, that his 15 metre handicap was too much against a horse as good as Rip Van Winkle and could finish only 3rd to that horse. He then travelled back home to contest his second W.A. Pacing Cup.
Favourite in the all mobile series, he turned in a shocker on the first night, finishing only 9th behind Rip Van Winkle who rated 1-59½. Three nights later he was back to his best and, despite racing outside the leader for the entire journey, was too strong for Royal Force and Nixon Adios. The third heat was a repeat of his last win, sitting outside the leader all the way and proving just too strong. In the final on 6-1-78 he started at 9-4 and beat Nixon Adios by 2 metres with Rip Van Winkle 4 metres away 3rd. It was his second consecutive W.A. Pacing Cup win and he ran a new Australian record rate of 2-3½ for the 3000 metre event. A month later he comfortably won a FFA setting a new race record and then travelled to Richmond for the Flying Mile. Starting at 1-5, he let his backers down badly by only running 2nd, beaten 6 metres, to Rare Chief. He then went back to MV for the 1978 A.G. Hunter Cup.
With every great horse there are usually one or two runs that REALLY stand out from the rest, runs that define the quality of the horse, and on this night Pure Steel was to produce a run that is STILL talked about today. A crowd of 22,092 turned up to see the running of this prestigious event and they were rewarded by having an absolute top class field contest this race. From barrier 2 Rip Van Winkle went straight to the front, after a short tussle with Koala King, while Pure Steel was last on settling down. With 2½ laps to go he was sent up to sit outside the leader and that’s where he stayed. Michael Vanderkemp on Rip Van Winkle decided to REALLY make Steelo work and kept the pace on all the way, thereby ensuring that his main danger had to do it really tough and also ensuring that nothing came up from the back and gave Pure Steel a sit. Down the back straight the last time these two champions ran 5 lengths clear of the rest of the field and looked to have the race between themselves, but half down the home straight they BOTH got the ‘staggers’ after such a hard, fast run race, and while Rip weakened to finish a close 5th, Pure Steel defied the ‘swoopers’ and hung on to win by 3 metres from Dillon Titian with Don’t Retreat 1 metre away 3rd. The time was a new world record for 2900 metres and rival horsemen described it as the finest staying performance they had ever witnessed! It was possibly his finest hour.
The hard run took it’s toll on him, however, and he was a tired horse when he contested the all mobile Inter Dominion series at MV 2 weeks later. On the first night he finished 4th to Hermosa Star, on the second night 5th to Sole Command and in the last set of heats could only finish 5th to the ultimate grand final winner, Markovina. He failed to qualify for the final but won a Consolation beating Michael Frost, showing that he had, seemingly, recovered from his hard Hunter Cup win. His next start was 2 weeks later in the Miracle Mile. From barrier 1 he was beaten for early speed and settled last. With a round to go he made his run from the rear of the field but was forced 3 wide for most of the last lap. Taking the lead half way down the straight he comfortably beat Paleface Adios with Michael Frost 3rd. He ran his last half in 58.9 and his last 400 metres in 28.9 but his overall mile rate was a fairly average 2.0 3/5.
A week later he contested the heats of the Lord Mayor’s Cup. On the first night he didn’t let his 20 metre handicap stop him from winning in race record time. Last early, he made his run with a lap and a half to go but was forced 3 wide for the ENTIRE last 1200 metres! Despite this hard run he took the lead on the home turn and came away for a comfortable win. On the second night in the mobile heats he drew barrier 8 and settled 6th early. After only half a lap he moved up towards the lead but was forced 3 wide when Markovina went with him and left him trapped 3 wide for the last 2½ laps. Despite this VERY hard run he went under by just a neck to the Inter Dominion winner, Markovina. In the final he was 9th early and then 3 wide the entire last lap but didn’t run on. After the race he was swabbed by the stewards and his owner claimed that he had been ‘got at’! He was immediately spelled. As a 6yo Pure Steel had 24 starts for 13 wins and 6 placings.
Pure Steel was given a 5 month spell and resumed on 8-9-78 at GP in the Tatts Cup, finishing 5th to Virgil Queen. At his next start, a week later at Freemantle, he won the Anniversary Pace. He then went in a time trial at GP and broke the track and state record, setting new figures of 1-57 1/5 with quarters of 30.0, 29.6, 28.4 and 29.2. A week later he was at MV for a FFA but could only finish 3rd to Sunray and Abidair. The following week he contested the Winfield Cup. Last early from the mobile barrier, he made his move a lap from home but was just run down on the line by Koala King who produced his customary final 400 metre ‘dash’ when driven with a sit. Next was the Kilmore Cup but his 25 metre handicap proved too much and he only finished 3rd to Taronga and Great, beaten just 3 metres. Back home at GP he won an Invitational in race record time and 2 weeeks later won a Richmond FFA. He then contested his 3rd W.A. Pacing Cup.
In the all mobile series he won his first heat and 4 nights later won his 2nd heat. Three nights later he was beaten a head by Royal force in the final set of heats and he went into the final a very hot 4-6 favourite. Showing all his old dash, he beat Koala King by 2 metres with Royal Force 4 metres away 3rd. It was his third consecutive W.A. Pacing Cup win. Two weeks later he won an Invitation and then travelled to Globe Derby for the S.A. Trotting Club Cup. An unbackable 1-7, he showed that the odds were right by easily beating Nevada Smoke. That was his last start as a 7yo and his record for the season was 13 starts for 8 wins and 4 placings.
Resuming 6 months later in a GP FFA, he won first up but was then ‘eased’ for 4 months and resumed again on 21-12-79 where he won another GP FFA. A week later he won the Mount Eden Mile in 1-58 3/5 and went into his fourth W.A. Pacing Cup series. On the first night he met, for the first time, the ‘new kid on the block’, the Black Flash, Satinover. While Steelo had been campaigning all over Australia, Satinover was proving unbeatable at home and came into the series with 16 consecutive wins. The race was a torrid affair, but Satinover held Pure Steel off by just a neck to record his 17th straight win and ran a new Australasian record rate of 1-58 9/10. Satinover was sore after the win and was scratched from the rest of the series. On the 2nd night Steelo just won from Timely Hostess and on the 3rd night was 2nd, beaten 3 metres by Lord Maselle. In the final he started at 1-2 and won easily from Merak and Garry John. It was his 4th consecutive W.A. Pacing Cup win!
A week later he came off 35 metres at Freemantle in the Freemantle Cup and easily beat Garry John then it was over to the Eastern States for their ‘Big Ones’. As a warm up he won a MV FFA on 16-2-80 and the following week won his 3rd A.G. Hunter Cup from Koala King and Brad Adios. Then it was up to HP for the Miracle Mile where he finished a close 2nd, beaten 2 metres, to the Kiwi pacer, Locarno. Next was the Inter Dominion series held in Sydney that year. On the first night he beat the enigmatic Kiwi, Lord Module, by 6 metres and on the second night just got up to win by a half a neck from Lone Boy in track record time. Three nights later he made it a clean sweep of the heats by beating Single Again and Locarno. In the final he found his 15 metre handicap too much and he could only run 3rd to Koala King and Locarno. A week later he won a HP mobile Invitational beating Paleface Adios and Locarno in record time.Three weeks after that he was back home and winning the GP Memorial Day Cup in 1-58 4/5.
A war of words had broken out between the connections of Satinover and Pure Steel, both claiming that THEIR horse was the ‘best in the West’ (very similar to the similar argument a few years ago between the connections of Baltic Eagle and The Falcon Strike). Satinover had recovered from his setback in January and had won 2 more races. He had now won his last 9 starts in a row as a 4yo and his first 10 as a 5yo, giving him 19 consecutive wins. He had met, and defeated, Pure Steel at their only encounter, his last 5 wins had produced 2 Australasian records and a W.A. record, and at his last visit to the track he had broken Pure Steel’s GP track record rating 1-57 1/10. He had the runs on the board and was as formidable an opponent as you could imagine. Pure Steel, however, was STILL the unchallenged champion of Australia, even if he was getting a little long in the tooth, being now an 8yo against the ‘fresher’ 5yo Satinover. No suitable race could be found so the WATA put on a special $50,000 match race, winner take all, from the mobile over 1900 metres. Satinover started at 4-6 favourite while you could back Steelo at 1-1. Satinover went straight to the front with Pure Steel sitting behind on the rails. The Black Flash kept up a good solid pace so Pure Steel didn’t make a move until the last lap. At the bell he moved off the rails and came up about a half a length off the leader and began to apply the pressure, something that he was VERY experienced at doing. Halfway down the back straight he joined Satinover and these two great horses went hammer and tong for another half a lap with NOTHING between them. However halfway down the home straight Satinover started to ‘send out distress signals’ as Steelo forged to the front without ever being hit with the whip and won by 4 metres rating 1-59 2/5. He was the the undisputed champion. Satinover was never the same horse after this race and only won 2 of his next 13 starts! One can only wonder if Steelo broke his heart!
A month later Pure Steel ran a close 3rd in a FFA and a week later won a similar event at his last start for the season. As an 8yo Pure Steel had 20 starts for 15 wins and 5 placings! Little wonder he was voted 1980 Harness Horse of the Year and Grand Circuit Champion.
Resuming as a 9yo on 26-9-80 at GP, Pure Steel finished 2nd, beaten just 3 metres after starting off 50 metres. The following week in a FFA he won at the prohibitive odds of 1-8. Eight nights later he was in Melbourne for the Winfield Cup and finished 2nd, beaten a neck, to Koala King. The Kilmore Cup was next and he finished 2nd again, beaten by just a metre after coming off 30 metres. Five nights later he was at MV and won a FFA and he then stayed on for the 1980 Australian Pacing Championships being held there. He finished 2nd in the first heat but was then found to be sore and was given 3 months off to recover.
Resuming at GP in a FFA on 3-2-81 he won comfortably and 10 days later won the Stratton Cup from 40 metres. He then travelled to Hobart for the 1981 Inter Dominion series. It was apparent that he wasn’t the Pure Steel of old during the series, or maybe ‘father time’ was catching up with him, but he performed below his best. On the first night in the FFA heats he finished 2nd to Ardstraw, 4th on the second night and 2nd in the final set of heats. In the final he was kept safe at 4-1 but was no match for the ‘new sensation’, San Simeon.
Back home and he won a FFA and the following week ran 2nd in a similar event. On 18-4-81 he started off 30 metres in the Easter Cup but FTF. He was then spelled. As a 9yo Pure Steel had 15 starts for just 4 wins and 6 seconds.
Being a stallion and now rising 10yo, maybe it was now time to retire him to stud duties, given his poor result for the previous season and his many years of very hard racing, but his connections seemed determined to ‘chase’ the elusive, magical, figure of $1,000,000 in prizemoney, so he was prepared for ANOTHER season of racing.
Given 5 months off, he resumed as a 10yo on 25-9-81 and won a FFA first up beating his old rival Satinover. Two weeks later he beat him again in another FFA but a week later Satinover reversed the placings by beating Pure Steel. On 30-10-81 he competed in a time trial at GP and recorded a time of 1-56 9/10. Two weeks later he won a Freemantle Flying Mile and 3 weeks later won a similar event at Richmond. It was to be his last win. He then contested his 5th W.A. Pacing Cup series at GP. On the first night he finished 2nd to Skiptar but on the 2nd night pulled up sore running last. Given 4 months off he resumed in the 1982 Inter Dominion series being held at GP that year. He finished 11th on the first night, last on the second night and 6th on the 3rd night, failing to qualify for the final. That was his last start for the season that saw 10 starts for 4 wins and 2 placings.
Pure Steel was given 14 months off and resumed as an 11yo on 13-5-83 in the B.O.T.R.A Cup at GP and finished 4th. He was then retired. In a career that lasted 10 seasons of racing he had 127 starts for 68 wins and 37 placings, winning $915,302. Not bad for a $2400 purchase. He won every big race around Australia except an Inter Dominion. He was 4yo Pacer of the Year, 1978 Australian Pacer of the Year, 1978 Grand Circuit Champion, 1980 Grand Circuit Champion and 1980 Harness Horse of the Year.
At stud Pure Steel produced 362 foals for 85 individual winners who, between them, won $1,048,656, not THAT much more the Steelo won himself!
Pure Steel won 10 races that, today, would be classed as Group 1 races and I can’t think of any modern day horse who has a similar record.
Pure Steel remains a legend in harness racing in this country, and rightly so, as he was one of the greatest pacers produced during the last century. He had the speed to win a Miracle Mile and the stamina to sit outside the leader of a 2 mile race being run in world record time, and simply outstay the whole field. You can count on one hand the number of pacers who could equal that feat, and have fingers left over! The final, and most telling, tribute I can offer about Pure Steel was that once you saw him you never forgot him. No one who saw him race, and win, will ever forget his strength and courage, he was, quite simply, UNFORGETTABLE.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
