'They will be hard to beat' - Waller bullish on his Royal Ascot stars

Chris Waller believes his sprinters will serve it up to the best the world has to offer at Royal Ascot after Nature Strip and Home Affairs completed their final crucial workouts before being shipped to Britain.

Waller, famed for training superstars such as Winx and Verry Elleegant, has yet to win a race at the royal meeting, having come close to success when Brazen Beau was narrowly denied in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes by Undrafted in 2015.

The New Zealand-born trainer, whose pair will also be joined by the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Artorius, told racing.com: "The horses are very good horses, all three of them, but they just need to turn up and will fight out the finish with the best in the world.

"They will be hard to beat, but I'm sure they'll make us proud."

The trio worked together over four and a half furlongs (900m) at Flemington racecourse on Friday before beginning their long journey to the UK on Wednesday.

Nature Sprint: leading sprinter has had Ascot as a target for some timeCredit: Matt King (Getty Images)

Three-time TJ Smith Stakes winner Nature Strip is set for the King's Stand Stakes, while Home Affairs and Artorius will line up in the renamed Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

Royal Ascot-winning rider James McDonald, who was on Home Affairs during the workout, is likely to ride the Waller-trained pair in their races next month and is equally as excited about their chances of famous successes.

"They are both ticking along lovely. Nature Strip is obviously in unbelievable form, my fella is going really well and has improvement to come," he said.

"I'm extremely excited. They're arguably the world's best sprinters and to be taking them up, showcasing them is going to be awesome. I couldn't dream of being on two better horses in different races, that's for sure."

Home Affairs (navy blue silks): beat Nature Strip (left) in the Black Caviar Lightning StakesCredit: Reg Ryan

Artorius was last of the trio in the key workout but co-trainer Sam Freedman was unfazed by his finishing position ahead of his date with destiny at Royal Ascot.

He said: "That's as well as he can jump out. He's not a flashy track worker and he had a nice clear out today, that will top him off well. He was up against two of the fastest horses in Australia, but he was strong to the line.

"We will let him settle in with an easy five or six days when he gets over and probably look to give him one workout over there. That will see him pretty ready."

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