Chris Waller has already locked in Nature Strip as his Everest contender, but he has flagged emerging stablemate Home Affairs as having the right profile to fill the vacant slot held by owners Coolmore.

The colt showcased his credentials with a brilliant show of sustained speed to win Saturday’s Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill and put himself in the frame to represent his owners in next month’s $15 million race.

Waller won the 2019 Everest with then-three-year-old Yes Yes Yes and believes the race is a good fit for young, up-and-coming sprinters.

“It certainly will be discussed, I’m sure. Hopefully not at too much length because the talent’s there and we’ve seen how three-year-olds perform in the race,” Waller said.

“I think today’s race was a pretty good field to say he’s up to a very high level.”

Waller revealed Home Affairs had suffered a couple of minor setbacks earlier in his campaign and was proud of his team for getting the horse back to full health.

The winner of the Silver Slipper as a juvenile, Home Affairs ($6.50) took up the running from an awkward draw and was kept to his task by Nash Rawiller to score by 1-1/2 lengths over Paulele ($3.50 fav) with Tristate ($12) third.

Rawiller, who is booked to partner Eduardo in The Everest, said it was hard not to be impressed by Home Affairs’ performance but warned he would have to rise to another level against experienced campaigners in an Everest.

“He’s a very fit horse here today and he treated that field with contempt, which is pretty exciting going forward,” Rawiller said.

“The horse has done the groundwork to train right on and who knows what he could be in next? There’s a good race coming up in a month’s time.

“Taking on those big boys is never easy, it can sometimes do more damage than good but he’s a horse I’d like to be riding the year after, that’s for sure.”

Moir Stakes winner Wild Ruler was on Saturday confirmed to represent the Everest slot held by Yulong Investments.