‘Mature’ Nature Strip turns tables on Eduardo to retain TJ Smith
The pair went hammer and tong up front in The Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1000m) on March 6, with Eduardo (Host) running a track-record time to defeat Nature Strip (Nicconi), however a more conservative approach from James McDonald on the star son of Nicconi (Bianconi) saw him prove too classy for that rival yesterday, as the now six-time Group 1 winner retained his TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) crown at Randwick and demonstrated his credentials for another Everest (1200m) berth in the spring.
In a star-studded cast that featured five of the season’s Group 1-winning sprinters, McDonald settled Nature Strip just off the pacesetter, allowing Eduardo to set a moderate tempo, but he proved to be a cut above his high-class rivals, going on to defeat the fast-finishing William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Masked Crusader (Toronado) by two lengths, with the Joe Pride galloper Eduardo in third, a further three-quarters of a length adrift. Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Zoutori (Zoustar) finished best of the rest, six lengths off the winner.
On a day where we saw the best of the sprint division’s mercurial champion, trainer Chris Waller praised his growing maturity, having seen the now six-year-old defeated in four efforts in the spring when going head-to-head with his rivals.
“He’s a super horse, and just showed another dimension today in getting him to settle,” said Waller.
“We knew you couldn’t go head-to-head and expect to win the race. That brought us undone in the spring. We were getting taken on and coming off second best and were left a sitting duck.
“Anyone that wants to take him on gets beaten as well, but beyond that we wanted to be a bit more mature this preparation. His run in the Lightning he settled off the speed and blew them away.
“Last start was a pretty good effort, he had quite a wide draw and had to do quite a bit of work, but today it just worked out perfectly and full credit to James and my team.”
Quickly after celebrating his 50th Group 1 win in the Sires’, McDonald added number 51 on board the horse that has contributed five elite-level wins to that tally.
“He’s a special galloper on his day,” said McDonald. “He couldn’t have worked any better on Tuesday, he’s been faultless all preparation, he’s executing so well.
“You get sick of hearing all this talk through the week about how to upset him and all this garbage, but you’re not going to upset him anymore, he’s pretty push-button and you can safely say it’s WBS (world’s best sprinter) for him.”
Nature Strip has taken his prize-money haul to beyond $8 million to surpass Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and propel him to among Australia’s top ten prize-money earners in history.
He is the seventh named foal and second stakes winner out of Group 3 winner Strikeline (Desert Sun).
Nicconi will be transferred to Widden Stud’s recently purchased Victorian operation for the 2021 season, after covering 146 mares in his last season in the Hunter Valley for a fee of $27,500.
Explosive Jack lands a Group 1 winner from sire’s final crop
A trio of New Zealand breds fought out a thrilling finish to the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and it was Explosive Jack (3 c Jakkalberry – Extra Explosive by Ekraar) who came out on top, becoming the first Group 1 winner from the last crop of his ill-fated sire Jakkalberry (Storming Home).
The well-travelled three-year-old also became the first horse to win the Tasmanian Derby (Listed, 2200m) and go on to win the Australian Derby as he defeated the Danny O’Brien-trained Young Werther (Tavistock), the brother to Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther, by a nose, with Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) victor Lion’s Roar (Contributer) the same margin behind in third.
Jakkalberry, who contested Group 1s in Italy, UK, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia during a 29-race career which yielded a win at the highest level in the Gran Premio di Milano (Gr 1, 2400m), became the foundation stallion at Novara Park in New Zealand and left 209 foals over a four-year period until his death in 2017.
Explosive Jack, a NZ$100,000 purchase for Moody Racing from the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, is the only stakes winner for Jakkalberry, and takes his record to four wins from seven starts.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt won his maiden on debut at Swan Hill in November, before heading to NSW and adding a second victory at Kembla Grange and a first stakes victory in Tasmania ahead of his Group 1 success yesterday.
“It’s phenomenal really,” said Maher. “This horse has been in work a long time. He’s been to all our stables and the team have done an extraordinary job with him.
“His last piece of work on Saturday was the best piece he’s done since he’s had a saddle on his back.
“Johnny (Allen, jockey) was on board him at Werribee and he said he’s flying.
“He thought he might lack that little bit of class but we knew he was a very strong stayer and he was right to go. Full credit to him.”
Explosive Jack is the latest named foal out of the stakes-winning Ekraar (Red Ransom) mare Extra Explosive and from the family of NZ Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Vin De Dance (Roc De Cambes).
The dam’s yearling colt by Time Test (Dubawi) sold for NZ$65,000 to Benner Racing at this year’s NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, while she has a weanling filly by Staphanos (Deep Impact).