T J Smith Stakes (Group 1)

ROYAL Ascot may be off for Nature Strip but next year’s Everest is firmly in his sights following Saturday’s empathic win in the T.J. Smith Stakes, his fourth, and most impressive at Group 1 level.

Mustering his tempo from the inside gate of 12, the Nicconi gelding put on a masterclass of sprinting, leading all the way having broken the race apart before rounding the turn.

Second was last year’s winner, the Lope De Vega gelding Santa Anna Lane, with the two-time Everest winner Redzel, by Snitzel, third.

“I just think he’s an amazing horse,” said trainer Chris Waller. “First up he’s always a little bit soft and he showed that this prep, but since then he’s been on his A-game and James (McDonald) does a great job with him.

“What he does to his rivals is he makes it so hard for them to stay with him and gee from the 600-metre mark to the 300 you can see they’re all just struggling to stay with him.”

Originally trained by Darren Weir before his suspension, Nature Strip has now won 14 of his 23 starts for earnings of over A$5.1 million.

Inglis Sires’ Produce (Group 1)

STAYING away from the early speed proved the winning move for the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained King’s Legacy in Saturday’s Group 1 Inglis Sires’ Produce for juveniles. Last of 12 at the 600-metre mark, the $1.4 million Magic Millions Redoute’s Choice colt was kept near the rail by Hugh Bowman but was still four lengths astern of Prague, also a Redoute’s Choice colt, at the 200 metres mark.

Powering home, King’s Legacy relished the 1,400 metres to overhaul Prague and win by a half-length with the Wandjina colt Mamaragan in third.

Hugh Bowman said: “Prague is a superb colt in his own right but I was on a horse that wanted to win and wanted to win bad.”

King’s Legacy will now return to Randwick for the Group 1 Champagne Stakes. “He was only going to get better over seven furlongs and hopefully in a couple of weeks you’ll see him at a mile even better,” said Paul Snowden.

Raheen House in line for Sydney Cup

A PLACE-GETTER behind Enable as a three-year-old, the Irish-bred Raheen House propelled himself into today’s Sydney Cup with a well taken win in last Saturday’s Group 2 Chairman’s Quality over 2,600 metres.

Formerly trained by William Haggas, and now with Kris Lees and racing in the colours of Australian Bloodstock, Raheen House will be out to emulate his year-older full-brother Shraaoh who won the 2019 edition for Chris Waller. The pair were bred by the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings, being by Sea The Stars out of the Irish-bred Monsun mare Jumooh.

Raheen House is on the third line of betting with the William Haggas-trained Young Rascal a short-priced favourite in the two-mile Group 1 handicap.

SIX lengths off the leaders with horses surrounding her into the home straight, the James Cummings-trained Colette found a passage and roared to the front, posting a facile three-length win in Saturday’s Adrian Knox Stakes.

The Group 3 for fillies over 2,000 metres confirmed Colette’s favouritism for today’s Group 1 Australian Oaks.

Ridden by James McDonald, the Hallowed Crown filly has won her past three races.