Home Affairs has yet to be confirmed for an Everest slot but trainer Chris Waller is adamant the young colt is up to the task.
Waller produced Yes Yes Yes to win the $15 million sprint as a three-year-old and after watching Home Affairs match strides with stable star and Everest fancy Nature Strip in an exhibition jump out at Rosehill on Wednesday, the champion trainer gave him his tick of approval.
The Heritage Stakes winner is raced by a partnership which includes Coolmore and is under consideration to fill their vacant Everest slot.
“I’d be advising that Home Affairs is good enough to be running in the race, so I guess it comes down to them listening to what I’m saying and seeing all other options, checking weather and things like that,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“Now you’re at this last-minute stage, you have the beauty of sitting back and waiting but they’ve certainly got a colt to call on if they need it.”
With Glen Boss aboard Home Affairs and James Mcdonald partnering Nature Strip, the stablemates jumped out over 900m.
McDonald was content to let Home Affairs make the running and Nature Strip relaxed beautifully in his slipstream before ranging up alongside him in the straight.
The pair hit the line together with neither asked to extend.
“It was just a perfect workout,” Waller said.
“They both stayed within reach of each other. They gave each other a solid test without burning them and I couldn’t be happier.
“It’s good to be able to see the horses almost under race conditions where you can actually admire how well they move, and that’s what I got out of Home Affairs, and Nature Strip was good on the line.
“He showed he can settle off them and do things right, so both boxes ticked in a big way.”
Home Affairs was nominated for Saturday’s Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick but wasn’t among the acceptances when fields were declared on Wednesday.
Waller will still be represented in the sprint by the O’President, who hasn’t raced since defeating Hilal and subsequent Group 1 winner Captivant in the Skyline Stakes in February.
