Nature Strip soars to new heights as transformation into world’s best sprinter is almost complete
He can be a bit of a loose canon but when Nature Strip’s mind is on the job there is no better sprinter in the land, and now he could be in line for racing’s highest honour.
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Nature Strip would have been long odds at the start of the season to be mentioned in the same sentence as Horse of the Year.
But the transformation of Nature Strip from a much-maligned racehorse into arguably the world’s best sprinter is virtually complete.
The exciting Nature Strip that has been racing this autumn is a very different version to the gifted but enigmatic sprinter we saw even as recently as last spring.
There is a new level of consistency to his performances. Suddenly, Nature Strip is harnessing his brilliant speed more effectively as demonstrated in his stunning wins in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at his last two starts of the Sydney autumn carnival.
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Nature Strip’s TJ Smith Stakes effort, where he dominated a world class field of sprinters to win by two lengths, was his third at the elite level this season. He also won the Moir Stakes and VRC Sprint Classic last spring.
The Chris Waller-trained speedster is the only horse to win three times at Group 1 level this season.
In the post-Winx era, racing hasn’t found a dominant champion to reel off five or six majors a season and make Horse of the Year a no contest.
But Nature Strip, true to his racing pattern, is leading the Horse of the Year “race” with his three Group 1 wins.
There have been six dual Group 1 winners this season including Bivouac (Golden Rose, Newmarket Handicap), and Loving Gaby (William Reid Stakes, Manikato Stakes) — two sprinters Nature Strip left in his wake in the TJ Smith Stakes.
Fierce Impact (Toorak Handicap, Cantala Stakes), Con Te Partiro (Coolmore Classic, Coolmore Legacy Stakes) and King’s Legacy (ATC Sires Produce Stakes, Champagne Stakes) were impressive at various times of the season but they still trail Nature Strip for Horse of the Year.
England’s Addeybb entered the mix with his dual Group 1 successes in the Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Sydney during autumn.
But if Addeybb is to be considered for Horse of the Year, then Japan’s Lys Gracieux must also enter the contest for her outstanding Cox Plate win last spring.
However, the “hit-and-run” race campaigns of both international raiders doesn’t quite put enough runs on the board for either to garner enough votes to win Horse of the Year.
Significantly, only two horses not trained in Australia have won the coveted title and they were New Zealand champions Sunline (2000-01-02) and Veandercross (1993), who both raced extensively in this country.
With only four Group 1 races remaining for 2019-20, Nature Strip has seemingly done enough to secure Horse of the Year honours and go into the new season as the nation’s premier racehorse.
Thus, it’s no surprise that Nature Strip is the first horse into the field for the $15 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick next October.
But what was surprising is that Waller didn’t need to use his slot to get Nature Strip into The Everest.
Rod Lyons, the managing part-owner of Nature Strip, confirmed last week that a deal had been struck with slot-holders TAB.
“Because the TAB approached us first, no one else really got a look in, if I can use that terminology,’’ Lyons said.
“I went to Chris (Waller) with the backing of the other syndicate members and told him what the scenario was.
“This is a commercial negotiation between the horse owners and the slot-holders. Chris gave his blessing and was quite excited we had the Everest slot.
“In regards to his slot, it was never really negotiated or considered as we had gone down the track with the TAB.’’
Waller said ensuring Nature Strip had an Everest start provided “some clarity” and enabled him to go about preparing his best sprinter for the world’s richest turf race scheduled for October 17.
The explosive front-runner is TAB’s $4 favourite in latest Everest markets, followed by Alligator Blood and Bivouac at $8, then Pinatubo and Santa Ana Lane at $11.
“Nature Strip will have two lead-up runs into The Everest,’’ Waller said. “His third run in each preparation seems to be his best in my opinion.’’
Lyons and Waller believe that Nature Strip will be a better winning chance in The Everest this spring than last year when he led for most of the race before finishing fourth to stablemate Yes Yes Yes in a Randwick 1200m track record time of 1m 7.32s.
“I think it is a fair comment to say he is a better horse now,’’ Lyons said.
“You take the Lightning Stakes out where he was too fresh and Chris has taken all that on board, his form has been terrific.
“His run in The Everest was a blinder from the outside barrier but he has definitely come back better this autumn.
“Chris has always told the ownership group to be patient as Nature Strip was still improving and the combination with James McDonald has helped take the horse to another level.
“It’s exciting because we think there is still improvement in Nature Strip.’’
NATURE STRIP
Trainer: Chris Waller
Age/ Sex: 5yo Gelding
Career: 23: 14-2-0
Sire: Nicconi
Dam: Strikeline
2020 TAB EVEREST WINNER
$4 Nature Strip
$8 Alligator Blood, Bivouac
$11 Pinatubo, Santa Ana Lane, Farnan
$15 Classique Legend, Loving Gaby, Aethero, Gytrash, Sunlight, Tofane, Trekking
$26+ others
LATEST BETTING: TAB FIXED ODDS
Originally published as Nature Strip soars to new heights as transformation into world’s best sprinter is almost complete