Australia: Nature Strip eyes Royal Ascot after third consecutive T.J. Smith Stakes win

Nature Strip, the 2020-21 Australian Horse of the Year, is being strongly considered for a trip to the Royal Ascot meeting in England in June after winning Saturday’s Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes for sprinters for the third consecutive year at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Ridden by James McDonald, Nature Strip ($4.50) led throughout the $1.87 million Smith Stakes at six furlongs, winning by slightly more than 3 1/4 lengths over 3-1 Eduardo in a field of 11. Trained by Chris Waller, Nature Strip became the second horse to win three consecutive runnings of the Smith, preceded by Chautauqua from 2015-17.

At Royal Ascot, the most likely race for the 8-year-old Nature Strip would be the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes, a $1.3 million race at six furlongs on June 18.

Nature Strip has won 20 of 37 starts. The Smith Stakes was his first win in three starts since the Group 1 Darley Classic at six furlongs at Flemington last November. Nature Strip won the $11.05 million Everest Stakes at Randwick last October, the world’s richest sprint.

The Smith Stakes was one of four Group 1 races on Saturday’s program at Randwick.

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Mr Brightside ($69.30) closed from eighth in a field of 20 to win the day’s richest race, the $2.24 million Doncaster Mile, a handicap. Ridden by Craig Williams, Mr Brightside finished a half-length in front of 9-2 I’m Thunderstruck. Forbidden Love, the 7-5 favorite, finished fourth.

The Doncaster Mile was the second stakes win, and first in a Group 1, for Mr Brightside, a 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding by Bullbars.

Hitotsu ($4.30) won his third consecutive Group 1 race in the $1.49 million Australian Derby, overcoming a bump in the stretch of the race at 1 1/2 miles to prevail by slightly more than a neck over 20-1 Benaud.

Sent off favored, Hitotsu closed from 11th in a field of 18 under jockey John Allen. Hitotsu, a 3-year-old colt by Maurice, won the Group 1 Victorian Derby at 1 9/16 miles last October and his 2022 debut in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at a mile. Those races were run at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

Fireburn confirmed her status as Australia’s leading 2-year-old with her fifth consecutive win in the $749,000 Inglis’ Sires Stakes at seven furlongs. Ridden by Brenton Avdulla, Fireburn ($4.20) showed her customary late rally, closing from eighth of 12 to win by slightly less than 1 1/2 lengths over 9-2 She’s Extreme.

Fireburn won the Group 1 Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on March 19, a $3.69 million race at six furlongs.