Lightning Strikes Twice for Inglis

The Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale produced a stunning Group 1 quinella at Flemington today when star sprinter Nature Strip held off a late surge from magnificent filly September Run in the Black Caviar Lightning. Both sprinters were resuming from spells but the Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip proved too strong for his stablemate first up, securing his fifteenth career victory and fifth Group 1 success. It was also a significant return by September Run, who had won five of her past six starts including the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes during Melbourne Cup Week last year. Nature Strip (Nicconi) today, a Golden Grove offering at the 2016 Premier Sale, took his career earnings to almost $6.5 million. He is among a select group of 55 Inglis graduates to have won a Group 1 race since 2018. His part-owner Rod Lyons watched the race at home with his wife as a result of the snap Victoria-wide lockdown imposed yesterday, and hinted Nature Strip would now return to Sydney and follow a similar preparation to last autumn, including the Challenge Stakes, the TJ Smith and then a possible Queensland campaign. The Lightning Stakes result comes just weeks before the 2021 Premier Yearling Sale, scheduled to be held at Oaklands from February 28 - March 2.