Given the pressure that accompanies training the world’s best sprinter, Chris Waller admits it’s difficult to enjoy Nature Strip’s performances until the race is over.
But he does make sure he savours the moment when the job is done.
Waller found himself doing just that at Randwick on Saturday when the champion resumed with an outstanding win in The Shorts (1100m) to put him in pole position for a defence of his Everest crown.
“(After the race), I stood back and listened to the crowd, that’s what people come to the races for and what’s good for our sport,” Waller said.
“I took a lot of pride in that win.
“I wasn’t ready for him to run his best race today so for him to do that, he is exactly where we want him to be.”
Waller admitted he wasn’t sure how Nature Strip would cope with his hit-and-run raid on England’s Royal Ascot carnival, nor how he would emerge from it.
But the eight-year-old appears to have returned better than ever, overcoming a slightly tardy start to chase down the leaders and defeat Overpass ($15) by 1-1/2 lengths with Lost And Running ($10) a short half-head away third.
Nature Strip’s ($2.40 fav) arch-rival Eduardo ($3.50) led and gave a kick at the top of the straight but was no match for him over the final stages, finishing fourth.
Waller confirmed Nature Strip would go straight into the Everest without another run and was instead likely to be given a jump-out to keep his fitness up to the mark.
Overpass ran the race of his life and surely put his hand up for an Everest slot, while jockey Hugh Bowman rated Lost And Running’s performance as “outstanding”.
Mazu was equally game in finishing fifth and Sam Clipperon said he would be much better for the experience against the seasoned sprinters.
“He really has good improvement to come. I think that will give him a bit of a nudge as to what is required. He’ll take it to the next level,” Clipperton said.
There was a postscript to the race with Classique Legend pulling up lame after finishing last and trainer Les Bridge told stewards the horse would be spelled, ruling him out of The Everest.
