Trainer Chris Waller declared Nature Strip on song ahead of the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday week the sprinter's fourth shot at the race. Nature Strip won the Lightning in 2021 and finished second to stablemate Home Affairs last year while in 2020 he finished fourth to Gytrash.
Waller made the trip from Sydney to watch Friday's workout and said it was what he wanted to see from Nature Strip.
"Get him through the barriers, get him used to the straight again and have a bit of a workout ahead of the Lightning Stakes in eight days' time," Waller said. I'll hopefully see her finishing off."
He's had a great break. He's had a normal, traditional lead-up to his return run. "A jump-out in Sydney, a trial in Sydney, today's jump-out as well as a float trip down. "Small pieces of work to steadily stimulate him."
Waller said he was not looking any further than the Lightning Stakes, although in the back of his mind he would like to see Nature Strip line up in a fourth Group 1 T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick, having won the past three editions. He added he would like to again travel with Nature Strip to the northern hemisphere and Royal Ascot where Nature Strip was successful last year in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes.
Waller was impressed with September Run who he described as being 'not a flash trackworker'. "Yet she runs well in these types of races," Waller said. "She loves the straight. The last 100 metres next Saturday will hopefully see her finishing off."
