Nature Strip has confirmed his place as the World’s Best Sprinter and claimed the King’s Stand Stakes in breathtaking fashion on the opening day of the Royal Ascot Festival.
In a dramatic 1000 meter contest, Nature Strip would become the seventh Australian-trained winner at Royal Ascot as race favorite Golden Pal missed the start and a rider-less horse caused racegoers to hold their breath. Nature Strip took his usual 150 meters to get into his rhythm, but James McDonald looked composed as he gradually sent the sprinter to the front of the field, before racing away over the final furlong.
Speaking post-race, McDonald described Nature Strip’s performance as “incredible”.
Nature Strips joins Choisir (2003), Takeover Target (2007), Miss Andretti (2007) and Scenic Blast (2009) to win the King’s Stand Stakes.
Third times a charm, Nature Strip has won The Everest and confirmed his rating as the world’s best sprinter.
James McDonald controlled the pace aboard Nature Strip, racing at the girth of stablemate Home Affairs before moving into the lead upon straightening and the rest is history.
“He’s king of the mountain this time!”
Golden Grove bred speed machine Nature Strip, crowned Champion Sprinter for the second consecutive year.
Great Diviner has proven yet again that he’s got the grit, determination and ability to fight out a finish. Today’s win was never in question as he found another gear to outrun the fast-finishing Zoist to take out the last at Morphettville Racecourse.
Making it 3 wins from his 6 career starts, the future looks bright for this son of Shamus Award.
Another great steer from Todd Pannell, has seen the Golden Grove bred, Great Diviner notch up his 2nd win from start number 5.
For the second year in a row, the 2021 HTBA Champion Racehorse was awarded to Nature Strip. Son of the Widden Sire Nicconi, out of multiple stakes winner producer Strikeline.
Nature Strip won two Group 1 races in the season, the Black Caviar Lightning and TJ Smith Stakes. Bred by Golden Grove Stud at Denman. The 2021 Champion Racehorse award, sponsored by Scone Race Club, was presented by Mr Alastair Pulford, Chairman of Scone Race Club and accepted by Mr Grant MacKay of Golden Grove Stud.
When Nature Strip is in this mood, there isn’t a sprinter in the world that can match him.
Nature Strip was at his arrogant, explosive best in the Group 1 $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick – and was compelling to watch.
It is the enigma that is Nature Strip that makes him so exciting.
He has often been maligned, even ridiculed – but then he reminds everyone of his extraordinary sprinting talent.
This was Nature Strip at his commanding best – and he didn’t have to be the “control freak” by leading to win.
Eduardo, his main rival, came out of the barriers brilliantly and crossed Nature Strip within the first 100m.
There have been times in Nature Strip’s career when he would “raise the white flag” if he couldn’t dictate in front but not this time.
He’s a more complete racehorse now as he demonstrated by racing away to win his second successive TJ Smith Stales.
Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller took particular satisfaction as Nature Strip left his critics eating their words again.
“He’s a super horse and just showed another dimension today,’’ Waller said.
“We knew he couldn’t go head to head (with Eduardo) and expect to win the race.
“I think that brought us undone in the spring. We were getting taken on and coming off second best and left a sitting duck.
“Anything that wants to take him on gets beat as well. We’re beyond that, we wanted to be a bit more mature this preparation.
“His run in the Lightning Stakes, he settled off the speed and blew them away. Last start it was a pretty good effort, he had a wide draw and had to do quite a bit of work.
“But today it just worked out perfectly and full credit to James (McDonald) and my team.”
Nature Strip ($3.10 favourite) sprinted clear over the rise and was never going to be run down, scoring by two lengths.
If there was an unlucky runner it was definitely Masked Crusader ($7) who was held up for a run at the top of the straight but he finished powerfully to claim second, with Eduardo ($3.60) nearly a length away third.
McDonald rode his second Group 1 winner for the day – he had won the Inglis sires on Anamoe – and felt the time was right to return serve at some of Nature Strip’s critics.
“You get sick of all the talk during the week about how to upset him and this kind of garbage,’’ McDonald said.,
“They’re not going to upset him anymore. He is pretty push button. I can safely say WBS (World’s Best Sprinter) for him.
“When he is winning, he is everyone’s favourite but when he is losing, they quickly bag him but he is not getting beaten far. He is a bloody good horse.”
McDonald said he was determined to ride his own race on Nature Strip and not get involved in a speed duel with Eduardo.
“We can only worry about one horse and that’s why throughout the week, all this talk of ‘we’re going to upset him’ – it is just a load of rubbish,’’ McDonald said.
“Just ride your horse and we’ll worry about ours.’’
It’s easy to forget Nature Strip is the reigning Horse of the Year and the TJ Smith was his sixth win at Group 1 level, his 16th career success from 30 starts and took his career earnings to $7.92 million.
“He’s pretty good all the time,’’ Waller said.
“Even when he does get beaten, there’s been reasons for him getting beat. As I said, he gets taken on.
“No horse can sustain that type of pressure when you’re talking about the best sprinters in the world.’’
Waller, who led in his 121st career Group 1 winner with Nature Strip, has trained 11 Group 1 winners with his stable earnings topping $30 million for the season.
The Hall of Fame trainer wasn’t about to lock in plans for Nature Strip immediately after the race but said long term the $15 million The Everest at Royal Randwick next October the main goal.
“He’ll be at The Everest for sure,’’ Waller said.
“So it’ll all be revolved around that.
“The Everest is actually quite deep into the spring so there’s the chance to take him to Queensland if we need to.”
Nature Strip
Nicconi x Strikeline (Desert Sun {GB})
Winner – G1 TJ Smith S. 1200m
Winner – G1 Darley Sprint Classic 1200m
Winner – G1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir S. 1000m
Winner – G1 Ooh Media Galaxy 1100m
Winner – G2 Hyland Race Colours Challenge 1000m
Winner – G2 Rubiton S. 1100m
Winner – G2 Mitty’s McEwen S. 1000m
Q. Nature Strip is obviously a fantastic flag bearer for Golden Grove, what does a horse like him mean to the farm?
Producing horses like Nature Strip, is why we do what we do. Everyone wants that fairytale of producing Group horses and we have been lucky enough to do so, and with Golden Grove now operating as an agistment farm, it gives our clients, a real sense of what we are striving for each and every day.
Q. What were your first thoughts when he was announced as the world’s best sprinter in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and now that he has been named Australian Horse of the Year?
Knowing that Golden Grove played a part in producing this exceptional racehorse, is very humbling. To produce a horse that can perform at the highest level is one thing but to produce one that would go on to be named Longines World’s Best Sprinter, is unbelievable and very surreal.
Q. What do you believe to be the best win of his career so far?
For me, it has to be watching him down the Flemington straight, in the 2019 Darley Sprint. This was a quality field and he treated them with utter contempt.
Q. How do you think he will perform in The Everest?
If Nature Strip is left alone in front and with his high cruising speed, he will be extremely hard to run down and both Chris and James will have him primed to do so.