Australia: Nature Strip shoots for 10th Group 1 victory in Lightning Stakes

Nature Strip, the two-time Australian Horse of the Year, won the ninth Group 1 of his fabulous career in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in Britain last June.

A potential 10th win at the highest level could occur Friday evening in the $690,000 Lightning Stakes at five furlongs on the straightaway course at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

The Lightning Stakes is a familiar stop on Nature Strip’s schedule.

Now 8, the gelding was fourth in the 2020 running as the 1-2 favorite, won the race in 2021 as the 3-1 second choice, and was second by a nose last year as the 2-1 favorite after a troubled start.

This year’s Lightning Stakes will be Nature Strip’s first start since a second at odds of 3-4 in the Group 1 VRC Classic at six furlongs at Flemington on Nov. 5. Nature Strip set the pace and was beaten a head by Roch ‘N’ Horse, a 19-1 outsider.

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In early betting for the Lightning Stakes on Thursday, Nature Strip was the 6-5 favorite, while Roch ‘N’ Horse was dismissed at 13-1 in a field of 11.

A winner of 22 of 41 starts, Nature Strip’s list of Group 1 wins does not include his 2021 victory in the world’s richest sprint, the $11.05 million Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The Everest is not a group stakes because of its nomination structure in which owners purchase berths.

Nature Strip, the Australian Horse of the Year for the 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 seasons, will start from the rail in the Lightning Stakes and will be ridden by James McDonald. Nature Strip is expected to be prominent early.

If Nature Strip is beaten, the Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old filly Coolangatta or 6-year-old mare Marabi are the most likely candidates.

Coolangatta has won 4 of 7 starts, including the Group 1 Moir Stakes at five furlongs at Moonee Valley last September. Coolangatta is quick enough to lead, as is Marabi, who has won 7 of 8 starts but has not raced since she finished fifth in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley last March.

This is the first start at five furlongs for Marabi, who has won three times in her career at 5 1/2 furlongs.

The Lightning Stakes is part of a nine-race program that begins at 8:35 p.m. Eastern or 5:35 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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