Nature Strip books his ticket for Royal Ascot with dominant win in the Darley Sprint Classic

Dominant in the Group 1 Darley Sprint Classic, gun speedster Nature Strip will head to Royal Ascot next year with a revised program after proving his credentials to stay strong over more ground.

Nature Strip booked his trip to Royal Ascot next year after producing a breathtaking performance to storm away with the $2 million Group 1 Darley Sprint Classic.

In doing so, the supremely talented, but once slightly erratic galloper stamped himself as one of the best sprinters in the world, forever silencing those doubters who questioned his ability to run out a strong 1200m against crack sprinters.

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Such was the dominance of his three-and-a-quarter-length win — and the manner in which he systematically put away the likes of an unusually flat Santa Ana Lane among other seasoned performers — that it had elated trainer Chris Waller rethinking his program for Royal Ascot.

“We were going to go for the King's Stand (1000m), but we might look at the Diamond Jubilee Cup (1200m) too,” Waller said.

“That was the (owners') intention after the Everest.

“I am not too sure (what he will do next year). I guess he would be a short-priced favourite (in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February).

“I know the team is pretty keen to get to Royal Ascot in June, but there will be a few races before that.

“This is capping off a pretty good season for the horse. He's a winner of three Group 1 races and that is simply as good as it gets from a sprinter’s perspective.”

Nature Strip, well supported as $3.60 second favourite off the back of his tough fourth in the Everest, jumped perfectly from gate nine and led from start to finish, powering away under James McDonald's guidance.

Jamie McDonald and Nature Strip combine to win the Darley Sprint Classic.

Waller watched from the race from inside on a TV monitor with a three-second delay, but tempted fate when he shot a glance outside to the live action to see if his horse had maintained the margin.

He need not have worried. Nature Strip had shot even further clear, which brought a smile to Waller’s face.

“I thought, ‘bugger it’, I will have a sneak look around … and he whizzed passed the window,” Waller said.

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“He was further in front when I turned my shoulder.”

Nature Strip won comprehensively from flying filly Loving Gabby ($7.50), with well-performed mare In Her Time ($12) a further length-and-a-half away in third place.

The disappointment of the race was $2.15 favourite and Everest runner-up Santa Ana Lane, who never looked a chance and finished fifth, beaten six lengths.

“He was just at the end of his prep … Mark (Zahra) came back in and said that just wasn't him,” Sam Freedman said of Santa Ana Lane.

“We take nothing away from the winner, he may not have won anyway, but we would have thought he would have run a clear second.”

Waller is Nature Strip's fifth trainer, having taken over after Darren Weir's disqualification, with the five-year-old gelding winning three Group 1s since then.

“We have been fortunate enough to take over a very fast horse,” Waller said.

“My team do a fantastic job.

“He's learnt to relax in his races. I think it’s his third win up the straight.

“Everyone is conscious of not going too hard whereas he just rolls. He’s a very fast horse, one of the fastest horses in the world.

“When James let him a bit of reign, gee he let go.”

A thrilled McDonald returns to scale after Nature Strip’s big win.

TAB BIG BETS

RACE ONE

The first two across the line defied betting drifts in the Cup Week Radio Trophy (1600m).

Mandela Effect ($3.70-$4.80 eq fav) along with Ranier ($3.60-$4.80 fav) got out in the market as support came for a few others including Good n Fast ($9.50-$7-$7.50), Hunamosa ($21-$11) and Mr Exclusive ($11-$9).

BETS: Mandela Effect $1000 @ $3.60 TWICE

BETS: Ranier $2,500 @ $4.80, $2000 @ $3.80, $1,748 @ $3.60

BETS: Good N Fast $10,000 @ $7.50

BETS: Reserve Street $1000 @ $6 TWICE

RACE TWO

It was an upset in the second event of the day with Savvy Oaks ($21-$19) getting the money for Damian Lane in the Very Special Kids Pin & Win Plate (2000m).

The Busuttin & Young runner was the least popular runner outside $34 shot El Don and only held a fraction of what race favourite Grinzinger Star ($3.20-$2.60-$2.90) did.

The fav was responsible for 44 per cent of the money and held more than the second and third picks in Wetakemanhattan ($4.80) and Starcaster ($5) did combined.

BETS: Grinzinger Star $1500 @ $2.90, $1100 @ $2.90, $1000 @ $2.90

RACE THREE

Banquo was the only horse that had any real support to knock over the favourite, Knickpoint.

The World Horse Racing Springtime Stakes (1400m) was dominated from a betting perspective by the Godolphin runner, which went around as a very popular $2.40 favourite. Knickpoint was four times as popular as anything else.

Banquo opened the day at $5 and jumped a clear $4.60 second pick while Regimental Band, which was also $5 earlier today, blew out to $7.50.

BETS: Banquo $2000 @ $4.60, $1000 @ $4.60, $1000 @ $4.40

BETS: Hilo $2000 @ $9.50

BETS: Knickpoint $1000 @ $2.50 MULTIPLE TIMES, $5000 @ $2.40, $3500 @ $2.40, $2500 @ $2.40, $2000 @ $2.40 MULTIPLE TIMES, $1845 @ $2.40

BETS: Mister Yu Shu $1000 @ $23

RACE FOUR

True Self was one of the best backed runners across the country today.

The UK galloper got out to $2.10 at the jump in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) after being $1.80 this morning. TAB had gone up $2.40 when the fields were released on Wednesday and she was the first horse supported.

True Self accounted for 55 per cent of the total investment and was nearly four times as popular as second pick in the market, Carif ($5-$5.50).

BETS: True Self $1200 @ $2.10, $2500 @ $2, $2250 @ $2, $2000 @ $2 TWICE, $3500 @ $1.95, $2000 @ $1.95, $1800 @ $1.95, $5000 @ $1.80 PLACE, $60,000 @ $1.22 PLACE

BETS: Red Cardinal $1000 @ $13

BETS: Carif $1,000 @ $5.50, $1000 @ $5

BETS: Top Of The Range $2000 @ $9

RACE FIVE

Nature Strip was $4.40-$3.70 in the Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) and landed some nice bets.

Despite being a firmer in betting, he was still shaded in terms of the hold by Santa Ana Lane ($2.25-$2.15-$2.25) which was nearly 10 times as popular as the winner.

In fact, Santa Ana Lane went around as one of the most popular horses in terms of hold in the country.

Loving Gaby ($6.50) held more than the winner with only Santa Ana Lane in front of her in that regard but again, it was only a fraction of what the Anthony Freedman runner held.

BETS: Nature Strip $5500 @ $3.80, $4,500 @ $3.80, $2,292 @ $3.80, $5,500 @ $3.70

BETS: Santa Ana Lane $3000 @ $2.20, $24,000 @ $2.15, $10,000 @ $2.15, $5254 @ $2.15, $5000 @ $2.15 TWICE, $3000 @ $2.15 MULTIPLE TIMES, $75,000 @ $1.20 PLACE

BETS: In Her Time $1000 @ $11

BETS: Loving Gaby $2500 @ $6.50

Charlie Duckworth and trainer Chris Waller with jockey James McDonald after he rode Nature Strip to victory

RACE SIX

Oceanex had some eachway money riding on her in the TAB Matriarch Stakes (2000m).

She was $15-$19 on the day but attracted some good investments, however, most of the money here was with Girl Tuesday which was a big firmer.

Girl Tuesday opened up at $4 on Saturday morning and was crunched into $2.90 favourite, going around with more than twice as much money as anything else in the event.

Greysful Glamour ($9) attracted some big bets while Rondinella ($4-$5.50) was the next best backed outside the favourite.

BETS: Oceanex $500 e/w @ $18/$4.20

BETS: Rondinella $2000 @ $6, $5,000 @ $5.50, $2000 @ $5.50, $25,000 e/w @ $5/$1.95

BETS: Another Dollar $2000 @ $15

BETS: Girl Tuesday $1000 @ $4, $1350 @ $3.60, $3000 @ $3.50, $2000 @ $3.50, $1634 @ $3.10, $5000 @ $2.90, $2000 @ $2.90

BETS: Greysful Glamour $9000 @ $8, $3000 @ $7

RACE SEVEN

Reykjavik went back out to double figures in the Network 10 Chatham Stakes (1400m) after being the subject of a move early in the week.

The Lindsey Smith runner was $9.50 on Wednesday and into $6.50 this morning, however, went out to $10 at the start of the race despite going around as the fourth most popular runner in terms of money held.

Admiral’s Joker was the firmer on the day after going $4.40-$3.60. Noble Boy, in a similar tale to the winner, was $10-$5 earlier in the week but jumped at $8.50 today. Iconoclasm went around as clear second pick after being backed from $4.60-$3.80.

BETS: Admirals Joker $5000 @ $3.60, $2000 @ $3.50

BETS: Noble Boy $2000 @ $8 MULTIPLE TIMES

BETS: Streets Of Avalon $12,000 @ $8.50

RACE EIGHT

The big move for Magic Wand paid dividends in the Seppelt Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).

Aiden O’Brien’s runner was $10 this morning and crunched into as low as $4.40 before getting back out to $5 late. She was a clear second pick behind race favourite Melody Belle ($3-$2.80-$3.80) which got the blows in the final half hour of betting.

Melody Belle attracted big money and was the second most popular runner of the day, anywhere, behind Santa Ana Lane.

Outside of this pair, Hartnell ($9.50) and Kings Will Dream ($10-$6.50) had their share of support as did Humidor ($10-$12) and Aristia ($26-$19).

BETS: Magic Wand $10,000 @ $4.40, $5000 @ $4.40

BETS: Melody Belle $2000 @ $3.80, $9000 @ $3.70, $7797 @ $3.70, $3000 @ $3.70

BETS: Kings Will Dream $3,000 @ $9, $2000 @ $8.50, $1000 @ $8

RACE NINE

The final event of the day, the Seppelt Drumborg Grand Handicap (1100 metres), was a sensational betting affair with a number of horses coming in for attention.

Halvorsen was a huge drifter in betting. Opening $4.60 earlier in the week, today he went $7.50 out to $14.

Esperance and Poised To Strike jumped as equal $6.50 third picks with the latter firming from a $10 quote. Tahitian Dancer ($5.50) had backing throughout betting but it was Morrissy that was a big firmer. Today, he went $6-$3.80-$5 after being $9 on Wednesday when markets opened.

BETS: Halvorsen $500 @ $12 MULTIPLE TIMES, $500 @ $11 MULTIPLE TIMES

BETS: Poised To Strike $1000 @ $6.50

BETS: Extreme Thrill $5000 @ $21, $4,000 @ $18

BETS: Esperance $1,850 @ $6.50, $2,000 e/w @ $6/$2.40, $1,500 e/w @ $6/$2.30

BETS: Tahitian Dancer $5000 @ $5.50, $2,000 @ $5.50

BETS: Screenager $4000 @ $9.50, $3,500 @ $9

BETS: Morrissy $1000 @ $3.90 TWICE

BETS: Fancy Rumble $1,500 @ $23

Originally published as Nature Strip books his ticket for Royal Ascot with dominant win in the Darley Sprint Classic