Nature Strip triumphs

CHAMPION trainer Chris Waller revealed Royal Ascot was on star sprinter Nature Strip’s agenda after he blitzed his rivals in Saturday’s VRC Sprint at Flemington.

The speed machine bolted away from his opposition to score an emphatic win by more than three lengths in the 1200m feature.

Nature Strip capped his progression from one time hotheaded speed machine to premier sprinter, thanks to his continued refinement under Waller and rider James McDonald.

That development has led to the sprinter, who has had four previous trainers, being considered for a northern hemisphere raid.

Waller admitted, though, that Nature Strip’s powerful frontrunning victory made him uncertain about exactly which race to target at Royal Ascot.

‘‘Based on that, I don’t know — we were going for the King’s Stand, but maybe the Diamond Jubilee,’’ he told Australian media.

McDonald produced a genius ride to win Saturday’s $A2 million ($NZ 2.1 million) race for Nature Strip’s partowners, former All Black coach Steve Hansen and Cromwellbased New Zealand Rugby board member Peter Kean.

The New Zealandborn jockey set a comfortable early pace before letting Nature Strip power away.

McDonald could not believe how well the horse travelled in the run.

‘‘He’s just gone to a new level this preparation,’’ McDonald said after the race.

‘‘He was just airborne, floating across the ground.

‘‘He’s a star, he ran it out so strongly.’’

Star New Zealand mare Melody Belle produced a huge finish for second in the group 1 McKinnon Stakes at Flemington.

Drawing the 2000m feature’s extreme outside barrier meant she and rider Opie Bosson drifted well off the pace from the start.

Melody Belle gave the winner, Magic Wand, a huge head start at the top of the straight, but got within a length of her at the finish.