[1] Affectionately known as Steelo or the "Tungsten Terror", he raced from 1974 until 1983 and won just under $1 million,[2] at a time when competition was strong, with the great horses Paleface Adios and Hondo Grattan as competitors.
[citation needed] Pure Steel was an Australian bred Standardbred Harness racing horse foaled in 1971.
[3] 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.
He then travelled to Adelaide for the Australian Pacing Championship where he won both his heats but could only finish third behind new star Rip Van Winkle in the final.
In January Pure Steel won the Western Australian Pacing Cup for the second consecutive year, this time breaking the race record.
Pure Steel sat without cover outside of leader Rip Van Winkle for most of the 2800m but won convincingly in track record time.
[2] Only having a limited preparation, he contested the 1980 Western Australian Pacing Cup series and was beaten by new rival Satinover in the first round of heats.
Heading east, Pure Steel won a record third Hunter Cup outstaying Koala King who'd had an easier run,[7] and finished second behind New Zealander Locarno in the Miracle Mile.
Returning to racing in time for the 1981 Interdominion in Hobart, Pure Steel finished fourth to new sensation San Simeon in the final.
After overcoming a serious illness in August 1981 Pure Steel defeated Satinover at Gloucester Park in Perth before breaking that horse's state mile record with a 1:56.9 time trial.
[2] Pure Steel also won the 1981 Stratton Cup, 1982 FTC Members Mile and 1980 Mount Eden Sprint.