Royal Ascot stars on track for Sydney’s mega-rich races, The Everest and Golden Eagle

Some of the major success stories from Royal Ascot week are eyeing some big money races in Australia this spring.

James McDonald aboard Nature Strip Picture: Alex Livesey

THE Aussies will chase the prestige, the English are after our money.

This was the common theme of Royal Ascot week where dual hemisphere racing was reborn after a two-year global pandemic with Australia’s Nature Strip’s runaway win in the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day.

Chris Waller, trainer of Nature Strip, has vowed to return to Royal Ascot next year, and Sam Freedman, who prepared the desperately unlucky Artorius for a close third in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, said the experience has whetted his appetite for more international competition.

But this isn’t all one-way traffic. The English are eyeing with envy the record prizemoney down under and are planning to come in numbers to Sydney and Melbourne this spring carnival.

Sydney’s mega-rich races, the $15 million The TAB Everest and $10 million Golden Eagle, might attract interstate criticism but they are part of the conversation in the northern hemisphere now.

However, any The Everest assault means trying to beat Nature Strip, who proved he is the best sprinter in the world at Royal Ascot.

Chris Waller (second from left) has declared his intentions to return to Royal Ascot Picture: Ryan Pierse

Nature Strip went into quarantine on Sunday and will return to Sydney in two weeks where Waller will plan the sprinter’s defence of his title in The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick in October then long-term the trainer hopes to bring his champion to Royal Ascot again next year.

“We will be back,’’ Waller said. “It has been a great week, we have really enjoyed it.

“Nature Strip was amazing and we were hopeful with Home Affairs but that’s racing, you never own it or dominate it, but you try and do the best you can.

“These races are hard to win but if we bring the right horses we are competitive.’’

Artorius will remain in England for the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket and then return to Sydney where he is likely to be set for The Everest and the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens.

“This has been an awesome experience,’’ Freedman said. “It has whetted the appetite to come back again.

“I will talk to the owners but there is every chance Artorius will go to the July Cup as I think the Newmarket track will really suit him.’’

Sam Freedman has declared Artorius will push on towards the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket Picture: Alan Crowhurst

Newgate’s Henry Field races Artorius and the owner went close to a Group 1 double after State Of Rest won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on Day Two of Royal Ascot.

“It has been a fantastic week,’’ Field said.

“We have run first and third in the biggest races at Royal Ascot. We would have loved for Australia to have won with Artorius but we are very proud of the horse and he could not have run any better.

“No question, he was the run of the race, this colt is an elite talent. As long as he has come through the race well, we will go to the July Cup.’’

Artorius might have to take on Godolphin duo Naval Crown and Creative Force again in the July Cup and possibly The Everest in the spring.

Godolphin’s Charlie Appleby trains Naval Crown and Creative Force and both are in The Everest mix.

Appleby also caught English journalists unaware when he mentioned Jersey Stakes winner Noble Truth as a potential Golden Eagle contender.

The Godolphin maestro even told News Corp last week his French 2000 Guineas winner, Modern Games, is another possible for the Golden Eagle.

Irish training genius Aidan O’Brien trained his 900th stakes winner (Group or Listed race) – a world record - when Broome led throughout to win the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.

Platinum Jubilee winner Naval Crown is in the mix for The TAB Everest Picture: JUSTIN TALLIS

O’Brien, who finished Royal Ascot as leading trainer, said Broome could be a Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup entry although the horse’s likely main aim is the Japan Cup in spring.

But the most outstanding winner of Royal Ascot week was Nature Strip who provided Waller with his first international win.

But the Hall of Fame trainer said despite the ease of Nature Strip’s win, the competition at Royal Ascot is as tough as it gets in world racing.

“The horses here in England are very good and we respect that,’’ Waller said.

“They are good at what they do, they are very fit. Our horses are more explosive at 2000m and so are our sprinters.

“It’s a unique type of horse over here and you need to be very good to beat them.’’

Originally published as Royal Ascot stars on track for Sydney’s mega-rich races, The Everest and Golden Eagle