World's top-rated sprinter Nature Strip dominant on Australian return

The world's top-rated sprinter Nature Strip returned to Australia with a dominant win in the Group 2 Bowermans Shorts at Randwick.

The Chris Waller-trained eight-year-old was always travelling powerfully under his regular partner James McDonald and burst clear in the straight to score by a length and a quarter.

"Today was a nice day for him to do that," McDonald told Racing.com.

"At three furlongs out, where he normally chimes into his races, he thought it was time to go and then it was just a matter of gliding up the running.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve. I think there's a little more to give but in saying that he was at his best."

The eight-time Group 1 winner clearly suffered no ill effects from his trip to Britain, where an emphatic win in the King's Stand Stakes earned him a rating of 124. He will bid to retain his crown in The Everest next.

"Today he displayed that he's got racecraft now, to just switch off and to do those little things right, and help him be better," said winning trainer Waller.

"He's doing it the right way, he's not breaking his own heart. He used to break other horses' hearts and sometimes his own. It's a good first-up run, he'll take good improvement from it and be there [in The Everest] in four weeks' time."

The victory completed a golden hour for McDonald, who also won the Group 1 George Main Stakes aboard Anamoe, who is the ante-post favourite for the Cox Plate.

Much like his ride on Nature Strip, McDonald kept things simple and the four-year-old quickened up well to win cosily.

"He's a star," said McDonald. "He's so adaptable now. He's a pleasure to ride and as soon as you hop on, he oozes confidence."

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