Nature Strip Second in Equimillion Warm Up at Waratah World Cup

Tara Madgwick - Sunday August 18

The Waratah Showjumping World Cup event in Sydney over the past four days concluded on Sunday at Sydney International Equestrian Centre with the Equimillion New Stars warm up class producing some encouraging efforts and two time Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip finished in the placings for his new owner and rider Kathy O’Hara.

The class was run to ‘perfect time’ which means it’s not the fastest that wins, but rather the horse with the least faults that can complete the course in what is seen as the ideal time.

Nature Strip and Kathy O'Hara finished in second place.

Nature Strip had just the one fence down and was very nearly perfect on the time, while the winner Cigar Bar (NZ), a five year-old gelding by Savabeel ridden by Alisa Moir was the only clear round.

Alisa Moir and Cigar Bar were the winners.

The class is restricted to horses that have retired in the previous 12 months, so it’s actually a pretty quick turnaround for horses to transition from the racetrack to being able to negotiate a course of jumps and deal with the atmosphere of a big show.

Advertisement

The winner is a Kiwi bred gelding from the famed Waikato Stud and is by their champion sire Savabeel from Group II placed Lady Tatia, who comes from the family of Australian Group I winners Shogun Lodge, Referral, Singing the Blues and last season’s Queensland Oaks winner Socks Nation.

Cigar Bar has a full sister called Belle of the Ball, who won several races and was also Group placed, but his level of racing ability didn’t quite match hers. He had 14 starts in NSW and Victoria for one win at Mendooran and was retired from racing in January this year.

Advertisment
More Reading...
One to Watch - Warwick Farm
Tassort produced an impressive winner at Warwick Farm on Monday carrying the Trilogy Racing colours that looks well up to a far better grade than this public holiday Monday meeting.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.
Kiwi Bred War Machine Secures Everest Slot
The NZB Ready to Run Sale is never short of graduates flying the flag on Group One stages in Australia. With the 2025 edition at Karaka now less than six weeks away, War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) has put his hand up to continue that trend this spring.
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Sea the Stars colt Daryz.
Sires With Winners - Monday October 6
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Shamus Award Mare Chasing Another G1
Adverse weather has forced multiple Group One winner Quintessa to take an unorthodox route to next Saturday’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), with the mare appearing at the Awapuni trials on Monday afternoon.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tara Talks Racing – John Kelly of Newhaven Park Our Guest
Newhaven Park Stud is a family run farm on the south west slopes of NSW that has been producing thoroughbreds for a century and the Kelly family have bred many champions and now Autumn Glow has added her name to their hall of fame.
One for the Pedigree Nerds!
A blueblood stallion by Frankel that cost 1.3million guineas and a 3YO gelding by I Am Immortal that cost $14,000 – what could they possibly have in common other than both winning Group races at Flemington on Saturday.