News

Premier G1 quinella as Nature Strip returns in style

13th Feb 2021

The Premier Yearling Sale produced a stunning G1 quinella at Flemington today when star sprinter Nature Strip held off a late surge from magnificent filly September Run in the Black Caviar Lightning.

Both sprinters were resuming from spells but the Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip proved too strong for his stablemate first up, securing a staggering 15th career victory and 5th G1 success.

It was also a mighty return by September Run, who had won five of her past six starts heading into today’s feature including the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes during Melbourne Cup Week last year.

But all glory was with Nature Strip (Nicconi) today, a Golden Grove offering at the 2016 Premier Sale who today took his career earnings to almost $6.5m.

Nature Strip (pictured) is one of 55 Inglis graduates to have won a G1 since 2018.

His part-owner Rod Lyons watched the race at home with his wife as a result of the snap Victoria-wide lockdown imposed yesterday.

“We had a table in the committee room, a driver booked, it’s unfortunate we weren’t able to get there to witness that but wow, what a win and what a horse,’’ an elated Lyons said.

“He’s not Black Caviar but he’s not far off being labelled a champion sprinter as far as I’m concerned.

“Last preparation, things just didn’t pan out as we would have liked, sure, but he still won $700,000 so we can’t complain too much.

“Chris [Waller] rang me on the way to the races today and told me the horse has had a faultless prep and that while there’s still further improvement in him, he would be extremely hard to beat today and well, he was right.’’

Lyons hinted Nature Strip would now return to Sydney and follow a similar preparation to last autumn including the Challenge Stakes, the TJ Smith and then a possible Queensland campaign.

The Lightning Stakes result comes on the eve of the 2021 Premier Yearling Sale, scheduled to be held at Oaklands from February 28-March 2.

While Victoria is currently in a five-day lockdown due to end on Wednesday evening, Inglis is monitoring the situation with an eye firmly on Premier.

“We are working with the relative authorities and at this stage we are working toward holding the Premier Yearling Sale as a live auction at Oaklands as scheduled from Feb 28-March 2,’’ Inglis’ Victorian Bloodstock Manager Simon Vivian said.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and hope the five-day lockdown remains exactly that and we will react accordingly in coming days to ensure our clients are well informed of the situation at all times.’’

In Sydney today, Masked Crusader (Toronado) resumed a spectacular winner of the G3 Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick.

The Team Hawkes-trained 4YO has now won four of his eight starts and appears destined for further Stakes success this autumn and beyond.

The Hawkes’ teamed up with Cameron Cooke Bloodstock at the 2018 Premier Yearling Sale to purchase Masked Crusader for $340,000 from the Gilgai Farm draft.

Gilgai has a draft of 14 yearlings coming to the Premier Sale later this month.

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Inglis Sales were also responsible for four individual 2YO winners around Australia today including impressive debutantes Tycoon Humma and Joyous Legend, the latter of whom is a Snitzel daughter of star mare More Joyous who was purchased at the 2020 Easter Yearling Sale.

There were also several significant results for the Inglis Digital platform at Flemington today, with the dams of stakes winners Zou Dancer and Ingratiating having been sold through the platform for $19,000 and $27,500 respectively through the 2020 February (Late) Sale and the 2020 July (Early) Sale.