Contesting a record fifth The Everest, or a career in dressage or showjumping.
That is the simple scenario facing the world’s best sprinter and winner of $20 million in prizemoney, Nature Strip, after Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes.
Nature Strip produced one of his worst runs last start, and a similar performance at Randwick could be the end of the road.Credit:Getty
The eight-year-old produced one of his worst runs last start in Melbourne, and a similar disappointing performance at Randwick could spell the end of the road for the nine-time group 1 winner.
Trainer Chris Waller, who was out of puff trying to keep pace with Nature Strip as he returned to scale after a light gallop at Rosehill on Thursday morning, did not want to contemplate what awaited his globetrotter beyond the weekend.
“I’d love for him to go out in The Everest and announce it as his last run,” Waller told the Herald. “If he runs up to expectation on Saturday, we’ll see him again.
“If he doesn’t run up to expectation, I’ll speak to [owner] Mr Lyons, who will speak to his group of people, and you could see him in a dressage arena, or [starting] showjumping.
“Horses tell you when they’ve had enough. [Champion mare] Winx was different because we announced her last run, and that was only because she was breaking all the rules.
“Every other horse, you need to make a call. It’s part of the job. It’s hard for any sportsman. If he runs below his best, we’ll have a serious conversation with the owners. But it’s pointless discussing it pre-race because anything can happen.”
Waller said Nature Strip had felt the firm ground at Flemington when he resumed as the odds-on favourite in last month’s Lightning Stakes. A series of checks, internally and externally, revealed no abnormalities, and every reason to push on for a shot at a record fourth straight TJ Smith triumph.
Flashy grey Chautauqua won three straight TJ Smith Stakes, but no horse has won four – yet.
Waller knows his eight-year-old, easily the oldest horse in the 15-horse field, is incapable of going faster in the twilight of his career.
“But he doesn’t need to get quicker – the others need to get quicker,” Waller said. “It’s a good young field, there are some really exciting gallopers up against him. The only thing we need to worry about is him being the same horse he was six months ago and even 12 months ago. He didn’t win The Everest, but it was close to a career-best run [last year].
“We haven’t backed off him. There are a few more physio sessions, and it’s no different to a footballer who gets older, there’s a bit more ice and making sure they’re moving well and happy.”
Waller watched his good horses pull up after work, then walked back with them to scale, but broke into a canter himself alongside Nature Strip.
“I’ve walked back with Winx, I’ve walked back with [Golden Slipper winner] Shinzo, but I couldn’t keep up with Nature Strip; the moment he pulled up he was marching – he was on a mission,” Waller said.
Meanwhile, Waller said there was no appetite to scratch one of his runners for the sake of ensuring first emergency Osipenko gained a start in Saturday’s Doncaster, and that such a move would be unfair on the respective connections.
He said Fangirl was the pick of his runners until she drew wide, Zougotcha looked the best option based on the weight and barrier, while Lindermann was “thrown in at the weights”, and “will go close to being topweight in this race next year”.
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