Royal Ascot winner Nature Strip returns to Australia for The Shorts Stakes

He was Australia’s Horse of the Year for the 2019-20 season and one of the stars at Royal Ascot in England in June.

The remarkable 8-year-old Nature Strip is arguably the world’s finest sprinter, and is back in Australia for a late-season campaign that starts in the Group 2 The Shorts Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday evening across American time zones.

The return of Nature Strip to Australian racing is one of several highlights in Friday evening racing from that country. There are also two Group 1 races and a key prep for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 1.

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The Shorts Stakes, worth $670,000, may not be an easy race for Nature Strip, a winner of 21 of 38 starts under the direction of trainer Chris Waller. Nature Strip was second in the 2021 running of The Shorts, losing to Eduardo, who is part of a field of 13 this year.

As of Thursday morning, Nature Strip was the 6-5 favorite, while Eduardo was 3-1. They met three earlier this year in Group 1 and Group 2 sprints in Australia with Nature Strip finishing in front of Eduardo in two of those races.

Nature Strip has not raced since he roared through the final furlong to win the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at five furlongs at Royal Ascot on June 14. Regular rider James McDonald has the mount.

Eduardo, a winner of 12 of 28 starts, won the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at five furlongs at Randwick on Sept. 3 in his first start since a second by 3 1/4 lengths to Nature Strip in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes at Randwick in April.

The Shorts Stakes is the eighth race on a 10-race program that begins at 9:40 p.m. Eastern or 6:40 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

There are five group races on the program, including the Group 1 George Main Stakes at a mile.

Zaaki, the winner of 3 of 6 starts this year including the $3.64 million All-Star Mile in March, was the 2-1 second choice in early betting behind Anamoe, a four-time Group 1 winner owned by Godolphin Racing. Anamoe won the Group 1 Winx Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on Aug. 20 in his first start since April.

Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne has a nine-race program beginning at 10:30 p.m. Eastern or 7:30 p.m. Pacific on Friday.

The betting situation for the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield will not be known until after scratches are finalized the morning of the race.

The recent New Zealand import I Wish I Win was the 5-2 favorite as of Thursday, but was stuck on the also-eligible list. A 4-year-old gelding, I Wish I Win won his Australian debut by four lengths in a seven-furlong handicap at Caulfield on Aug. 27.

The $670,000 Clarke Stakes will have a maximum of 16 runners. I Wish I Win is the second alternate.

Tuvalu, a winner of 7 of 11 starts, and Ayrton, a stakes winner who was seventh in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in June, were the 7-1 second choices before scratches. The Clarke is the Group 1 debut for Tuvalu.

The Group 3 Foundation Cup at 1 1/4 miles could produce a few runners for the $5.36 million Melbourne Cup at two miles.

Uncle Bryn, second in a one-mile handicap at Moonee Valley on Sept. 3, and Gold Trip, fourth in the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris, were the first two betting choices as of Friday at 4-1 and 9-2.