Fresh off winning his third TJ Smith Stakes, Nature Strip has been booked to represent the Waller team in Australia’s richest sprint race.
It will incidentally be the third time Nature Strip has attempted to win the race after competing for James Harron Bloodstock in 2019 and last year for the TAB where he finished 7th behind an impressive Classique Legend.
In 2021 however it is all about representing his own with Nature Strip representing the Waller slot on the ticket and his announcement being made before the end of the Autumn racing carnival.
"Following his scintillating victory in the TJ Smith last week I felt it was an opportune time to be putting a deal forward to secure him for 2021," Waller said in a statement.
"He has shown me he has gone to another level this autumn with a victory in the G1 Lightning Stakes, going down by a nostril in the Challenge in track record time and then blowing away his rivals last start at Randwick in the TJ Smith."
The stable have also confirmed that Nature Strip will have one more race this prep before heading across the border to compete in the Doomben 10,000.
At the moment Nature Strip currently sits as $2.50 in the All In Markets for the Queensland Winter Carnival feature whilst his current sparring partner Eduardo sits on the second line of betting at $4.50.
Looking further down the road the Waller runner currently sits as $4.50 favourite for the Everest with punters seemingly forgiving a mid season blip and jumping on the recent display in the TJ Smith as the best form.