Nature Strip has joined star sprinter Chautauqua as a three-time winner of the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes and in doing so has all but booked his passage to take on the world at Royal Ascot.
The big-striding chestnut started a $2.30 favourite and was at his lethal best, crossing from an outside gate to lead arch-rival Eduardo before kicking clear in the straight and giving nothing else a chance.
Eduardo ($4.60) held on for second but was no match for the winner, beaten 3-1/4 lengths, with Paulele ($12) grabbing third another length away.
The Shelby Sixtysix fairytale came to an end when he was caught three-wide back in the field but the gelding wasn’t disgraced to finish seventh.
It was Nature Strip’s eighth Group 1 victory and Saturday’s $1.45 million first prizemoney cheque has moved him into second place on the all-time Australian stakes earners list, trailing only Winx.
Trainer Chris Waller felt they didn’t utilise the horse’s best asset – his high cruising speed – when he was beaten into third place in the Challenge Stakes last start and they weren’t making the same mistake twice.
“We took it a bit cheap last start, we got him to button off and relax but he’s actually got to put a bit of pressure on them,” Waller said.
“Nature Strip’s biggest arsenal is to put the others out of their comfort zone early.
“He is a better horse in the autumn and he’s a good horse over 1200 metres.”
Waller confirmed connections had a trip to Royal Ascot in their sights with Nature Strip to be joined on his overseas sojourn by stablemate and Lightning Stakes winner Home Affairs.
After that, Nature Strip will be given a chance to defend his Everest crown.
“I’m sure the main aim is to have him back here for the Everest and if we can shoot over and see our friends at Royal Ascot it would be pretty special,” Waller said.
“It’s good to be taking the right horses and these two are the best sprinters in Australia.
“It would be nice if they could both get there. It’s still a long way off.”
James Mcdonald has been aboard for all three of Nature Strip’s T J Smith Stakes (1200m) wins, and his Everest triumph, but said Saturday’s victory had a special vibe.
“It’s just unbelievable isn’t it? Three of them,” McDonald said.
“He’s got the Everest, he’s won everything in Australia. He’s just an incredible, incredible horse.
“This one, I don’t know, it feels just surreal. I just sort of feel numb because the horse is just a marvel.”
Tommy Berry said Shelby Sixtysix ran well but didn’t feel as comfortable underneath him as he did when winning the Maurice McCarten Stakes two starts ago.
“He just hung in up the straight, so there might be something a little bit there,” Berry said.
“Weight-for-age at 1200 metres is a different ball game. He did very well.”