Remarque is a live Everest chance after brilliant Concorde win while Chris Waller calls time on career of champion Nature Strip

After brilliantly winning the Concorde Stakes Remarque has put his name forward for The Everest while champion Nature Strip drew the curtain on his wonderful career.

Remarque (yellow) proves too good for In Secret and Bella Nipotina in the Concorde Stakes at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng–Getty Images)

Remarque, In Secret and Bella Nipotina put themselves into $20 million The TAB Everest contention but Nature Strip and Eduardo are no longer in the big-race conversation.

This was the aftermath of a dramatic Group 3 $1 million Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday where Remarque finally realised his potential with a career-best win and a career-ending defeat for Nature Strip.

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In Secret and Bella Nipotina made a race of it with Remarque with the trio flashing over the line with less than a half length separating them with the winner recording a fast 56.57sec given the track was still officially a soft 5.

Early leader Eduardo trailed the placegetters home by three lengths as he crossed the line in fourth position while Nature Strip, the $2.80 favourite, ran sixth, beaten nearly six lengths.

But for Remarque’s trainers, Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, and the sprinter’s owners including John Messara of Arrowfield Stud, this win was vindication of their perseverance.

The Concorde Stakes has already produced three The Everest winners with Redzel (2017-18) and Nature Strip (2021) completing the double and Remarque is now on track for the world’s richest turf race run at Royal Randwick on October 14.

“The big one’s there, of course you’re interested. If you’re not interested you’re mad,’’ Michael Hawkes said.

“Obviously next step is The Shorts for him, we’re heading in that direction and there’s probably a lot of other people out there looking at him as well

“If it happens, it happens. But you know what, we’ve got to train the horse and that’s what we’re here to do.”

REMARQUE REIGNS SUPREME IN THE CONCORDE! @G1TySchil@[e-mail]/i3Ylt8rSK4

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 2, 2023

Remarque, ridden by Tyler Schiller, was well backed into $4.40 and landed some big bets to beat In Secret ($4) by a short neck with Bella Nipotina ($6) a long-head away third.

Team Hawkes has never lost faith in Remarque although the five-year-old gelding by Arrowfield’s super sire Snitzel has had his share of issues over the years.

“He’s had his ups and downs, he’s been gelded, he’s had a throat operation – but he’s just an elite horse,’’ Hawkes said,

“We’ve just been extremely happy that the horse has come back bigger, stronger, better, and his trials have been great.

“Obviously first-up today and he’s taking on the likes of Nature Strip and Eduardo, but things happen.

“You put him in the right races, you get them going in the right direction and it’s onwards and upwards.’’

Hawkes then hinted Remarque has further improvement to come with his next start likely to be in the Group 2 $1 million The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick in two weeks time.

“He’s not there in the coat yet either, he’s just going to improve out of sight,’’ Hawkes said.

“I actually thought James (McDonald on Nature Strip) might take the sit behind us. I didn’t expect Shelby Sixtysix to be up there and amongst them, a cat amongst the pigeons.

“But it shows the quality of Remarque and credit to Tyler (Schiller) he got him into a rhythm and that was the key – to get him into a rhythm to keep him breathing. He’s in for a great prep that’s for sure.”

Tyler Schiller drives Remarque home a winner in the Concorde Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng–Getty Images

Schiller said it wasn’t ideal when Remarque had to be re-shod behind the barriers but the sprinter was unfazed and then produced the best run of his life to win the Concorde.

“I knew Michael (Hawkes) had the horse perfect,’’ Schiller said.

“He’s a happy horse and his trials showed that. He was really casual early in his trials, just pricked his ears and did his work.

“To see him come out today and actually be interested, he really put himself on speed. Michael said ‘just go with the horse, be happy’ and that’s what I did.

“He wasn’t in an ideal spot three-deep no cover, but I think he’s the best horse and he’s obviously showed that sitting deep and quickening away from them.”

Godolphin trainer James Cummings had one word to describe In Secret’s first-up second: “Outstanding!”

“She’s not a 1000m horse so that was a big run,’’ Cummings said.

“We will go to The Shorts and obviously we are thinking about The Everest.’’

Bella Nipotina’s jockey Ben Melham said the mare produced a very pleasing first-up run.

“She is just looking for a little bit of give in the ground, once she finds it she will jump out of the ground.”