Chris Waller has confirmed his two star sprinters, September Run and Nature Strip, will run in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) next month.

The stablemates have arrived at Flemington where they will be prepared for the Group 1 weight-for-age sprint down the straight on February 13.

The Waller stable has confirmed that Craig Williams will retain the ride on last-start Coolmore Stud Stakes winner September Run while Jamie Kah is expected to partner with Nature Strip with regular rider James McDonald set to stay in Sydney.

A statement from Chris Waller Racing read:

“September Run and Nature Strip will run in in the Lightning Stakes.

“Craig Williams will ride September Run and it is likely that Jamie Kah will replace James McDonald who has opted to stay in Sydney for next weekend’s racing due to the quarantine restrictions in place.

“It is our intention that Jamie will ride Nature Strip in a jump out next Friday at Flemington where both he and September Run will have a nice blow out to complete their preparations for this important first-up assignment.”

Three-year-old filly September Run has won five of her eight career starts, the last three of which have been down the Flemington straight, and will resume in the Lightning. She is a $6 chance with TAB.

Four-time Group 1 winner Nature Strip will also be first-up after he ran second to Bivouac in the Darley Sprint Classic in the spring. Those two head the market at $4.5 and $2.6 respectively.

Waller also confirmed that Imaging will race in the Group 1 FC Orr Stakes at Caulfield on February 6. The six-year-old is the $5 favourite with TAB.

– Andrew Slevison, sen.com.au

Chris Waller’s sprinting stars Nature Strip and September Run will sharpen up for a trip to Melbourne for the Lightning Stakes with another barrier trial at Rosehill on Wednesday.

The heart of Waller’s autumn team, including Verry Elleegant, Hungry Heart and Funstar, will be at the trials again, but expect Nature Strip and September Run to do a bit more than most before getting on the truck to Melbourne later in the week.

“They will have the trial at home on Wednesday and then head to Melbourne, where they will probably have a jump-out down the straight before the Lightning Stakes,” Waller said.

“They are both winners down the straight but they need to be really sharp for the group 1 first-up.”

Waller will have several of his two-year-olds in the Canonbury Stakes and Widden Stakes on Saturday. Giannis and Home Affairs will make their debuts in the Canonbury, where Brisbane winner Conexy will also run, while Divina faces the starter for the first time in the Widden.

“[I would] probably would prefer not to go to group races first-up, but Giannis and Divina got balloted on Saturday,” Waller said.

– Chris Roots, The Sydney Morning Herald

Chris Waller has confirmed that two of his star sprinters, Nature Strip and September Run, will resume in next month’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington.

The pair took part in a star-studded trial at Rosehill on Friday alongside Group 1-winning stablemates Verry Elleegant, Kolding and Toffee Tongue, with both horses pleasing their trainer in the 900m hit-out.

A four-time Group 1 winner who boasts an imposing record at Flemington, Nature Strip suffered a shock defeat as the $1.45 favourite in last year’s Lightning, while three-year-old filly September Run is undefeated in three straight-track runs at Flemington, including a dominant performance in last year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

“Nature Strip and September run will come down for the Lightning on the 13^th of February,” Waller told RSN.

“We’re pretty excited to be taking two horses like that to the Lightning first-up.

“They’ll just meander their way through the autumn from there.”

Star Godolphin colt Bivouac has also been flagged as a possible contender for the $750,000 feature, while dual-Group 1 winner Pippie, Tony McEvoy’s stable favourite Hey Doc and Saturday’s Kensington Stakes winner Fabergino are others that have been earmarked to tackle the Lightning.

Waller also reported that Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) winner Shaquero would now be aimed at the Golden Slipper (1200m) in March, while a decision on whether stablemate She’s All Class has another run this campaign hasn’t been made.

Shaquero is rated a $15 chance in Sportsbet’s Golden Slipper market, which is headed by Enthaar ($6), Remarque ($9) and Acrobat ($15).

“Who knows where these two-year-olds end up, it’s a taxing time in their career and you’ve got to be careful of that so that it doesn’t take away from their late three and four-year-old career,” Waller said.

“We’ll be mindful of that but at the same time we might have a look at the Golden Slipper and then give him a good spell after that.

“She (She’s All Class) is not mature yet so we’ve got to be a bit careful.

“I’m sure once a decision is made, she’ll be set for a certain race and she’ll be very hard to beat.”

– James Tzaferis, Racing.com

Following on from the 10-to-1 countdown of the Top Australian Horses of 2020, the National Racing Newsroom team have cast their votes for the top Australian jockeys in Part 2 of the 10-to-1 current stars of Australian Racing.

There are obviously a few who narrowly missed out, including the Melbourne Cup winner Jye McNeil, but all the same we are confident we’ve pretty much nailed the top saddle sitters in the land.

The Top 10 trainers of 2020.

10 – TOMMY BERRY
Showed the consistency and also the flair which has made him a top-level rider for many years. Didn’t strike a Group 1 win during the Sydney autumn but made up for it in spring with triumphs on Ole Kirk (Golden Rose) and Kolding (George Main Stakes). Bravely spoke out about his battle with depression, in an inspiration to other jockeys.
TOP HORSES: Ole Kirk, Kolding

9 – JAMIE KAH
Went to the next level in 2020 and, deep in December, was sitting on top of the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership race heading into the New Year. Picked up her third career Group 1 win when taking out the Toorak Handicap on Mr Quickie. Another highlight was her first Melbourne Cup ride, finishing third on popular UK traveller Prince Of Arran.
TOP HORSES: Mr Quickie, Prince Of Arran, Miami Bound

8 – NASH RAWILLER
Right back at the top of his game in 2020, and well and truly back in business after his stint in Hong Kong. Picked up three Group 1 wins on Mirage Dancer (The Metropolitan), Dreamforce (George Ryder Stakes) and The Bostonian (Canterbury Stakes). Tough rider who never gives an inch in a contest, Rawiller finished 2020 riding back where it all began for him in Victoria.
TOP HORSES: Mirage Dancer, The Bostonian, Dreamforce

7 – WILLIE PIKE
If there was ever any doubt whether ‘The Wizard from the West’ could mix it with the big name hoops in the main racing states, it was well and truly dispelled in 2020. Scored the biggest payday of his career when winning the All-Star Mile on Regal Power then returned for a hugely successful Melbourne spring where he scored his first Group 1s in Victoria with Ole Kirk and Arcadia Queen on a day when he won four races on one of the biggest cards in racing. Soon after went home to WA and won the Group 1 Railway Stakes aboard Inspirational Girl.
TOP HORSES: Arcadia Queen, Ole Kirk, Regal Power, Inspirational Girl

6 – CRAIG WILLIAMS
Was probably always going to be hard to replicate the exhilarating high of his 2019 Melbourne Cup success, but ‘Willo’ enjoyed another standout year winning five Group 1s in 2020 as well as capturing another Melbourne riding premiership. Dazzling display when bolting in on Chris Waller filly September Run in the Coolmore was one of the major highlights.
TOP HORSES: Behemoth, September Run, Castelvecchio, Loving Gaby

5 – HUGH BOWMAN
No Winx, no worries for Bowman. Reeled off another four Group 1 wins in 2020 and continued to be a go-to jockey for Sydney’s most powerful stables. Enjoyed extraordinary success with two-year-olds in the Sydney autumn, winning all three majors with the Golden Slipper on Farnan followed by the ATC Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes on King’s Legacy.
TOP HORSES: King’s Legacy, Farnan, Montefilia

4 – GLEN BOSS
Is there any better big-race jockey in the land than Glen Boss? 2020 showed yet again that when there’s a big race to be won, it’s Boss you want on board. Added another five Group 1 wins to his glittering resume and his exuberant celebrations when crossing the line on Sir Dragonet in the Cox Plate will be the stuff of highlight reels for years to come. Won a pair of Group 1s on Bivouac, a Godolphin galloper who could now have the world at his feet, plus he won the ATC Australian Oaks on Colette and the Sydney Cup on Etah James.
TOP HORSES: Sir Dragonet, Bivouac, Colette

3 – KERRIN MCEVOY
Is there any danger he could give someone else a go in The Everest? McEvoy claimed his third victory in four years in the $15m race when saluting on Classique Legend and he clearly ‘owns’ the race. When you win a rich race like The Everest (again), anything else is a bonus but he also collected a Group 1 win on Kiwi Probabeel in the Epsom Handicap.
TOP HORSES: Classique Legend, Probabeel

2 – DAMIEN OLIVER
Like a fine wine, Ollie almost seems to be getting better with age. Oliver’s loud urgings were a regular feature in the finishes of big races and collected another three Group 1s for his trophy cabinet in 2020. Stuck with Lindsay Park filly Personal through thick and thin and she delivered winning the VRC Oaks. Got the biscuits on Russian Camelot in the Underwood Stakes and snared an expected win at the elite level with Shout The Bar in the Empire Rose Stakes.
TOP HORSES: Russian Camelot, Personal, Shout The Bar

1 – JAMES MCDONALD
The golden boy of Australian racing enjoyed another bright and shiny year in 2020. Was the standout rider in Sydney and grabbed a trio of Group 1s, two of which came on Chris Waller’s star mare Verry Elleegant as well as clearing out with another Sydney jockeys premiership. Nature Strip had some up and down moments but was on his best behaviour for McDonald when blitzing his rivals in the TJ Smith Stakes in the autumn.
TOP HORSES: Very Elleegant, Nature Strip

– National Racing Newsroom, racenet.com.au

Chris Waller. Picture: Bradley Photos

Chris Waller’s autumn team will take another stride forward on Friday, when 10 Group 1 contenders step out in the same trial at Rosehill.

Caulfield Cup winner Verry Elleegant and star sprinter Nature Strip headline the trial, where all 10 horses are trained by Waller.

Amazingly the field features 15 Group 1 wins in total, with only Subpoenaed yet to either win or place at the elite level.

The star-studded trial is down for 8.15am.

Horse – Group 1 victories

FUNSTAR – 1

HUNGRY HEART – Group 1 placed

KOLDING – 2

MADAM ROUGE – Group 1 placed

NATURE STRIP – 4

SEPTEMBER RUN – 1

STAR OF THE SEAS – Group 1 placed

SUBPOENAED – 0

TOFFEE TONGUE  – 1

VERRY ELLEEGANT – 6

Verry Elleegant is currently $5 favourite with Sportsbet for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and $21 for the All-Star Mile.

Nature Strip and September Run are both $11 chances for the TJ Smith Stakes.

While at Flemington, talented stayer Finche will also contest a jump out.

Friday’s trials at Rosehill will give punters an excellent reference heading to the autumn, with a number of stars from other stables down to run as well.

John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes-trained Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk is in heat 5 at 8.55am, while stablemate North Pacific is in heat six and 9.05am along with Masked Crusader.

North Pacific is currently a $15 chance for the TJ Smith Stakes, while Ole Kirk is $11 equal favourite for the Doncaster Mile.

All-Star Mile-nominated Osamu and Global Quest for Annabel Neasham will be seen in heat 13 at 10.15am, as well as Gerald Ryan-trained Peltzer.

– Ryan Reynolds, Racing.com

Owners Hermitage Thoroughbreds and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have gone back-to-back, scoring their second consecutive victory in the Group 2 SkyCity Auckland Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie on Friday.

The combination captured last year’s edition of the three-year-old feature with Dragon Leap, and have struck Guineas gold again 12 months later with Rocket Spade.

Making his first start since a close fifth behind Aegon in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in early November, Rocket Spade raced keenly but took up a comfortable position in seventh, one off the rail.

The colt travelled boldly just behind the leaders rounding the home turn, and he lengthened stride stylishly when jockey Craig Grylls pushed the button in the straight. Rocket Spade swept to the front and went clear, beating the strong-finishing Jason Belltree by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s a classy animal,” Grylls said. “We got into a pretty good spot. He just wanted to throw his head around a little bit, but he was travelling so well. I didn’t want to get to the front too early, but he was just going so easily that I couldn’t really help it.

“He hasn’t raced since the 2000 Guineas, so for him to produce this performance over 1600m today is a great training performance by Lance and Andrew. Being first-up today, he’s going to have a lot of improvement in him, and he gives me the feel of a stayer.”

By Fastnet Rock out of a stakes-placed half-sister to multiple Group One winner Soriano, Rocket Spade has now won two of his five starts. As well as his creditable performance in the 2000 Guineas, he also ran second behind the highly talented Not An Option at Matamata and finished fourth in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m).

“This is really good for the owners, who won the same race last year with Dragon Leap,” O’Sullivan said.

“Hermitage have been great supporters of Wexford Stables for the last five years or so. We’re very fortunate to have the opportunity to go to the sales every year and buy a horse or two for them. It’s great when those horses come out and win nice races.”

The TAB reacted to Friday’s win by moving Rocket Spade into $8 third favouritism for the Group 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March. The market is headed by Aegon and Brando, who are both rated $6 chances.

“This is a good horse and he’s bred to run a mile and a half, so we’re looking forward to getting him up over ground,” O’Sullivan said.

“He doesn’t have as much acceleration as Dragon Leap, but he might have a bit more stamina and could be more suited to the Derby trip.”

There was no such luck for the Rocket Spade owner-trainer team in the next race on the card, the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m), in which Cha Siu Bao finished ninth after missing the start badly. 

– New Zealand Racing Desk, racing.com