Royal Ascot glory – and a chance to defend his Everest crown – lay ahead for champion sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) following a record-equalling third consecutive win in today’s G1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick.

The extended four day format of the Inglis Great Southern Sale has encouraged an influx of supplementary entries, taking the total number of Lots to 825, which will begin selling at 10.30am this Sunday 21 June at Inglis' Oaklands Complex.

The final major breeding stock sale for 2015, the Inglis Great Southern Sale will be held in just a little over two weeks, across four days on 21, 22, 23 and 24 June at Inglis’ Oaklands Complex in Melbourne. The 724-strong catalogue is full of opportunities to secure stock form some of Australia’s richest Thoroughbred families, with over 50 weanlings offered out of stakes-performing dams, and no less than 37 broodmares on offer being stakes-performers themselves.

An absence of 469 days wasn’t enough to stop last year’s Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort making a triumphant return to racing in today’s Listed Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield.