A conversation between Chris Waller and managing part-owner Rod Lyons on Monday will shed greater light on the remainder of Nature Strip’s campaign, but a start in the Newmarket Handicap remains ‘unlikely’.
Unlike Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning (1000m), in which Nature Strip was narrowly defeated by stablemate Home Affairs, the Newmarket is a handicap and Waller said what weight Nature Strip would be asked to carry would be a central part of the discussion.
The weight-for-age $2.5 million T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in early April remains the ultimate Australian aim before a potential excursion to Royal Ascot in June.
“I’ll have a chat to Mr Lyons today about Nature Strip in relation to the Newmarket, but I’d say it’d be unlikely,” Waller said.
“It all depends what other horses are in the race and what weight they’ve got, things like that.
“We don’t want to make it too hard for him with a massive weight and then expect him to run at his best in the TJ.”
Nature Strip is the $8 second favourite in TAB’s market on the March 12 Newmarket Handicap, which is headed by Home Affairs at $2.80.
If Nature Strip bypasses the Newmarket he will most likely run at Randwick on March 5. The $500,000 Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) looms as the most likely option there but Waller has not ruled out a start in the $500,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
“I’d love to run him over 1300 one day, Nature Strip,” Waller told RSN927’s The Verdict.
“There’s a Group 1 Canterbury Stakes on the same day in Sydney as the Challenge. I doubt it, but it certainly hasn’t been ruled out either.”
Lost And Running is $2.50 favourite in Canterbury Stakes betting with Zaaki at $3.50.