Russell Roberts and driver Ted Demmler after one of Pure Steel's two AG Hunter Cup wins
Former thoroughbred bookmaker and leading harness owner Russell Roberts passed away last night.
Roberts was best known as the owner of legendary pacer Pure Steel but the grand-son of 1947 Perth Inter Dominion winner Bandbox was not the only top-flight horse raced by Roberts.
Russell Roberts raced the winners of some 313 races between 1970 and 1998 including the 1982 Inter Dominion winner Rhett’s Law and the 1973 WA Pacing Cup winner Local Product.
But it was the deeds of Pure Steel that saw Russell Roberts become a household name nationally as Steelo won 11 Group One races including four WA Pacing Cups, two AG Hunter Cups, South Australian Cup, Fremantle Cup and Miracle Mile.
In 1976 Roberts went within a whisker of sending half the country’s bookmakers to the wall when a massive plunge on Pure Steel just missed when the horse finished second to Carclew in that year’s Inter Dominion Final in Adelaide.
Later that year Roberts masterminded a successful plunge with Pure Steel in the Kilmore Cup utilising little known driver Steven Shinn and Steelo’s habit of being a poor track-worker to keep bookmakers in the dark.
Pure Steel won 68 races and $915,302 but Roberts other good winners included Local Product (19 wins including WA Pacing Cup, Mount Eden Sprint and Inter Dominion heat), Ex Adios (17 wins), Desert Patrol (16 wins), Rhett’s Law (15 wins), Rummin (15 wins) and Spangle Black (12 wins including WA Oaks).
He also purchased the 1972 WA Pacing Cup winner James Eden as a yearling but that stallion raced in the name of his wife Shirley for its 35 wins which also included a South Australian Cup and heat of the 1973 Sydney Inter Dominion. Mrs Roberts also raced James Eden’s full brothers Another Eden (21 wins) and Rusty Eden (10 wins).
Roberts also raced a number of classy gallopers including Kingston Town Classic winner True Steel, Common Touch and Sir Tinka.
