The ever consistent four-year-old gelding Hard Leaf, aka Russell, put together back-to-back victories at Mount Gambier yesterday, in Race 7 the BM58 Handicap over the seven furlongs.

From the wide gate, Russell wasn't able to find a forward position and in-form hoop Harry Grace elected to stay wide on the track finding cover, which was the advantageous pattern of the day under the Heavy 9 track conditions. Russell has taken a real liking to the rain affected tracks and was the only galloper you wanted your hard earned on rounding the home turn, as Harry and Russell, under the 60.5kg impost, cruised wide into the home straight putting lengths on their rivals to win by a commanding 5.75-lengths.

This is a pleasing result for Russell's connections, with win number three for the preparation, and this bodes well for the winter months, as the son of Long Leaf loves the sting out and relishes the wet conditions under foot and connections would love to find a similar set-up in a metropolitan race over these months.

Russell is another product of the Hill track at home and the systems of STR allow this gelding to sustain a preparation and still present in fantastic order its ninth run into the preparation. The STR team are willing to travel to find the best race for any given horse to provide its best opportunity to return results for owners, and Russell is a shining light of this approach.