Tag: chris waller

Royal Ascot-Winning Sprinter Nature Strip Retired After Unplaced Effort In Concorde

Multiple Group 1 winner Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}–Strikeline {Aus}, by Desert Sun {GB}), who is best known in the Northern Hemisphere as the winner of the 2022 G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, has been retired, trainer Chris Waller announced on Saturday.

The 9-year-old gelding finished sixth in the G3 Concorde S. at Royal Randwick earlier in the day. Several of his owners, including Ron Lyons, were at the track when Waller made the announcement.

“I'm announcing Nature Strip's retirement on behalf of the owners… It's only fitting that we announce it as soon as the decision has been made,” Waller told Sky Sports Racing after the race.

“He came to the race sound and was trialling well; there had been no indication that race ability wasn't there, but he wasn't the same horse in the race today. The spark and acceleration weren't there. He's been such a champion horse.”

A winner of 22 of his 43 career starts, Nature Strip was named the Australian Horse of the Year twice in 2020 and 2022, while also racking up titles as the Australian Champion Male Sprinter (2020-2022), Champion Older Horse (2020 and 2022), and Champion Turf Male (2020). Also highly regarded in England from five to seven furlongs in 2022, the Golden Grove Stud Farm-bred won a total of nine top-level races, among them three editions of the T J Smith S. (2020-2022), the Sprint Classic in 2019 and 2021, the 2019 Moir S., 2021 Black Caviar Lightning, and the 2019 Galaxy. An A$90,000 RNA at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premiere Yearling Sale, he retires with a mark of 43-22-8-1 and $14,846,644 in earnings.

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Former U.S.-Based Princess Grace Takes Aussie Group 3

Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}), a five-time graded winner and placed three times in Grade I company for John and Susan Moore and trainer Michael Stidham in this country, overcame some traffic at a critical stage and quickened home impressively to win Saturday's G3 Hawkesbury Crown S. (1300m) by about 1 3/4 lengths.

Drawn the fence and sent off the lukewarm $4.40 (17-5) favorite on the back of an outstanding third in the G2 Sapphire S. on her Australian debut at The Championships at Randwick two weeks back, the dark bay raced inside throughout beneath Nash Rawiller and traveled strongly from a joint fifth into the final quarter-mile. Opting to go for a run a few paths off the rail in the straight, Rawiller was forced to grab hold of Princess Grace for a stride or two when tight for running room, but she shouldered her way through and shot clear to win comfortably in the end.

“We were 50/50 whether we gave her a second run or waited for the Spring Carnival,” Charlie Duckworth, assistant to and racing manager for trainer Chris Waller, told SKY Racing. “When she drew well, we said, 'let's take our chances', especially when the track came up a 5 [soft side of good] rather than the heavy track. Nash gave her a beautiful ride, obviously it looked a bit dicey, but no better man to have than Nash on when you're stuck in a bit of a tight spot. Exciting horse.”

Racing as a homebred for the Moores, Princess Grace closed her 3-year-old season with a victory in the off-turf GIII Mrs. Revere S. and registered three wins at the graded level on the grass in succession in 2021–the GIII Dr. Penny Memorial S., the GII Yellow Ribbon H. and the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf–before closing the campaign with a sound third to Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) in the GI Matriarch S.

After successfully defending her title in the Penny, Princess Grace was second to Dalika (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}) in the GI Beverly D. S. and again in the Ladies' Turf ahead of a third to In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Regal Glory in the GI First Lady S. China Horse Club acquired the mare for $1.7 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale and turned her over to Waller, most notably the trainer of the legendary Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}).

The Moores also race Princess Grace's 4-year-old gelded half-brother Catnip (Kitten's Joy), who broke his maiden at Colonial Downs like his half-sister, and who is entered for a first-level allowance on the turf at Keeneland Apr. 26. Masquerade is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Mixologist (Frosted), a $175,000 Keeneland September purchase by Solis/Litt and, according to Cobra Farm manager Mike Owens, the Moores intend to race the mare's yearling filly by American Pharoah named Miss U. S. A. Owens said that Masquerade delivered a Gun Runner filly at Cobra Farm Mar. 20. Masquerade will be bred back to the China Horse Club part-owned Life Is Good.

Duckworth indicated that sex-restricted tests in Group 1 company loom as targets come the Australian springtime.

 

 

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Magical Lagoon Pointing Toward The Queen Elizabeth S.

Classic winner Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G1 Irish Oaks last year, will be aimed toward the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. Down Under, Yulong CEO Sam Fairgray confirmed to TDN AusNZ on Wednesday morning.

An impressive winner of the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot for former trainer Jessica Harrington, the Northern Hemisphere 4-year-old is now berthed with Australian Champion Trainer Chris Waller.

“She's with Chris Waller and he's very happy with her, she's settled in well,” Fairgray said. “He'll take her towards a trial at the end of next month and we'll just see how she progresses from there. Ideally, all going well, the Queen Elizabeth would be a good target for her.”

Out of the Lagunas (GB) mare Night Lagoon (Ger), the 305,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling purchase is also a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner and sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). Fifth in York's G1 Yorkshire Oaks in August, the bay was unplaced in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Hanshin in November.

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Sea The Stars Likely Mate For Verry Elleegant

Eleven-times Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is likely to visit leading European sire Sea The Stars (Ire) in her first year at stud in 2023, Racing.com reports.

Co-owner Brae Sokolski told the website that the decision was not final, but that the ownership was leaning in the direction of breeding to the sire that has been represented by the world's top-rated turf horse Baaeed (GB) and the legendary stayer Stradivarius (Ire).

“She'll be served to northern hemisphere time and while no final decision has been made on the stallion, Sea The Stars is probably the most likely suitor,” Sokolski said of last year's Melbourne Cup hero.

“Then we will decide whether to keep her there (Europe) and do it again or bring her back. It's unresolved at the moment.”

Having taken races like the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup and G1 Caulfield while under the care of Chris Waller, Verry Elleegant was sent to the northern hemisphere this spring to be trained by Francis-Henri Graffard. In four European appearances, the 7-year-old was third in the G2 Qatar Prix Foy and closed her career with an unplaced effort in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares at Ascot Oct. 15.

Sea The Stars resides at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Ireland, where he served mares at an advertised fee of €150,000 in 2022.

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