Star duo’s separate Ascot goals

TRAINER Chris Waller has given his strongest hint yet that he will try to avoid a clash between his super sprinters Nature Strip and Home Affairs when they race at Royal Ascot in England next month.

Waller said he was still weighing up his options in regard to which events each horse would contest overseas.

“We are keeping our options open with both horses, there is still a long way to go,’’ Waller said.

“But I am leaning towards running Nature Strip in the 1000m race (Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes, June 14) and Home Affairs in the 1200m race (Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes, June 18).’’

In latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the King’s Stand Stakes, Nature Strip is at $5 behind only American flyer Golden Pal, the $3.60 favourite. Home Affairs is on the third line of betting at $11.

However, for the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, Nature Strip is the $6 favourite and Home Affairs is at $9.

Nature Strip, winner of The Everest and a third successive TJ Smith Stakes this season, continues his build-up to Royal Ascot with a crucial 900m barrier trial against five rivals at Rosehill Gardens on Friday.

Waller said Nature Strip would be “having a very quiet trial”, similar to what Home Affairs had last Friday when the crack colt ran a close third to stablemates O’President and Starman.

But the Hall of Fame trainer said he was unsure whether Nature Strip and Home Affairs would have another barrier trial before they left for England on May 30,

“Home Affairs will definitely have a jumpout at some stage, I’m just not sure when,’’ Waller said.

Nature Strip, Home Affairs and the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Artorius form the strongest Australian sprint team for Royal Ascot since 2007, when Miss Andretti (trained by Lee Freedman) won the King’s Stand Stakes.

Magnus (Peter Moody) placed third in the race and Takeover Target (Joe Janiak) was a close fourth.