Pure Steel
| Breed | Standardbred |
|---|---|
| Sire | Toledo Hanover (USA) |
| Grandsire | Adios |
| Dam | Pure Band |
| Maternal grandsire | Hundred Proof (USA) |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1 September 1971 |
| Died | July 1996 |
| Country | Australia |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | L. Gordon |
| Owner | Russell Roberts |
| Trainer | 1. Fred Kersley 2. Phil Coulson |
| Record | |
| 127: 68-29-8 | |
| Earnings | |
| A$915,302 | |
| Major wins | |
| 1975 Western Australia Pacing Derby 1977, 1978 & 1980 A G Hunter Cup 1978 Miracle Mile Pace 1977, 1978, 1979 & 1980 Western Australian Pacing Cup 1980 Fremantle Cup |
|
| Awards | |
| 1978 & 1980 Australian Aged Pacer of the Year 1980 Australian Harness Horse of the Year 1979/80 Australian Grand Circuit Champion |
|
| Honours | |
| Western Australian Racing Industry Hall of Fame Best mile rate 1:56.9 TT |
|
| Last updated on: 2016-1-26. | |
Pure Steel is the only pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, a race over 3,050 metres and the richest handicap race for pacers in the world, three times, in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was the first Standardbred horse to win A$500,000 in Australia. Pure Steel also won the WA Benson & Hedges Cup four times. Affectionately known as Steelo, he raced from 1974 until 1983 and won just under $1 million, at a time when competition was strong, with the great horses Paleface Adios and Hondo Grattan as competitors.
Pure Steel was an Australian bred Standardbred Harness racing horse foaled in 1971. Pure Steel was by Toledo Hanover (USA), his dam Pure Band was by Hundred Proof (USA)from the good mare, Bandbox, winner of the 1947 Inter Dominion. Pure Steel was sold at the Sydney yearling sales for A$2,400.
During his career, Pure Steel won many of Australia's major harness races. He did not win the Inter Dominion, but finished second to Carclew in 1976 and third to Koala King in 1980.
After racing only twice as a two-year-old, Pure Steel was prepared for the Western Australian Sires Produce and Western Australian Derby in the 1974/5 season. After finishing second in the Sires Produce, his win in the derby was his first feature race win.
As a four-year-old he travelled outside of his home state for the first time when he headed to Adelaide for the 1976 Inter Dominion. After finishing fourth, first and second in his heats, Pure Steel was one of the favourites for the final. The defeat by Carclew lead to a split between owner Russell Roberts and trainer Fred Kersley.
Pure Steel won 10 of his 22 starts as a five-year-old during the 1976/7 season and was a regular competitor on the inaugural Grand Circuit. After winning the Kilmore Cup, Pure Steel contested the first ever Australian Pacing Championship, finishing second to Markovina. The finish to the race was somewhat controversial as the driver of the winner, Brian Gath, was suspended for an incident during the race but a protest was not successful. After the first of his four Western Australian Pacing Cup wins Pure Steel tackled the A G Hunter Cup for the first time. After two defeats in lead up races at Moonee Valley by Markovina, Pure Steel gained his first Hunter Cup win defeating Paleface Adios and Royal Force. Following a sixth and last place in the Miracle Mile Pace, and a win in the BP Marathon, Pure Steel tried to make up for his second place in the 1976 Interdominion to Carclew at Albion Park in Brisbane. However he finished unplaced in the final.
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