Brilliant Display of Speed by Nature Strip in Rubiton

Mark Smith - Saturday February 9

Making his first start for Chris Waller after transferring from Darren Weir, the speedy Nicconi gelding Nature Strip needed little more than a working gallop around the Caulfield track to win Saturday's Group II Rubiton Stakes (1100m).

Returning to the track after failing in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley back in September last year, Nature Strip was not the best to begin but Damian Lane used his inside barrier to push through to take up the running.

Lane still had a double handful by the time the field turned for home while the trailing pack were all off the bit.

Advertisement

Under a hand ride, Nature Strip came three and a half-length clear over the ever-consistent Jungle Edge (Dubawi), with a further two and a quarter lengths back to Thermal Current (Exceed And Excel) in third. (image Grant Courtney )


"It's hard to tell when it's a horse you know nothing about and all you see is his exposed form," Waller's Melbourne representative Jo Taylor told racing.com.

"As an athlete, you don't really know the horse or his demeanours or what's normal or what is not normal.

"It was fantastic to see him do this today and produce what we know is a class performance that he's capable of producing and now we've got something to build on and we know what we are dealing with as well.

"He was just in a class of his own today."

With his fourth stakes success, Nature Strip advances his record to 9 wins and 2 seconds from 13 starts with earnings of $823,085.

Passed in at the 2016 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when failing to make his $120,000 reserve where offered by Golden Grove Stud, Nature Strip is a half-brother to stakes-winner The Barrister from Group III winning Desert Sun (GB) mare Strikeline.

The winner of over $500,000, Strikeline has a 2yo colt by Shamus Award.

She was exported to New Zealand in 2017 where she was covered by Savabeel but unfortunately missed.

Nicconi covered 122 mares at Widden Stud last spring at a fee of $24,750.

Advertisment
More Reading...
New Stakes-Winner for Zoustar
The $150,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) provided reigning champion sire Zoustar with a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding Multinational led for home and could not be caught.
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
2YO Stakes Racing – Sale Mail
Three stakes races for new season juveniles add plenty of interest to a stellar day of racing this Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne, so let’s take a look at the Sale Mail for these races.
One to Watch – Geelong
Trilogy Racing will have high hopes for the their talented filly Queen of Clubs in the Group I ATC Flight Stakes on Saturday and their colours were in the frame at Geelong on Thursday carried by a Zoustar filly that saluted on debut.
Nicconi's Niccanova Toughs it Out in Bernborough Handicap
Tough-as-teak Nicconi 6yo gelding Niccanova carried his top weight of 59kgs to an all the way win in Saturday’s Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Everest Slot for Nature Strip
Nicconi's star sprinter Nature Strip has gained a slot for the $14million Everest with James Harron Bloodstock declaring him as their runner.
Nicconi's Nature Strip Romps Darley Sprint Classic
Nature Strip won a lot of new friends with his fighting fourth in The Everest and everyone is aware of his love for the straight but nothing could prepare for the performance of the glorious looking son of Nicconi in Saturday’s $2 million Group 1 Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington.
Unbeaten Nicconi 3YO Impresses
The Tony Pike-trained Not Ideal indicated he has a promising future ahead of him after he maintained his winning ways at Tauranga.
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
Inglis Ready2Race breeze up footage NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Progeny of the likes of Toronado, Exceed and Excel, Harry Angel, Zoustar and Ole Kirk were amongst the standout performers from breeze up sessions conducted this week in the lead up to the Inglis Ready2Race Sale on October 16, footage of which is now available online.