NATURE STRIP AND EDUARDO TO GO AT IT AGAIN

By Graham Potter | Friday, September 1, 2023

They are going to go at it at least one more time.

In the Chris Waller corner, Nature Strip ... a nine-year-old, twenty-two time winner from forty-three starts and $20 755 008 banked in prize-money. That’s right ... $20 million.

In the Joe Pride corner, Eduardo ... a ten-year-old, twelve-time winner from thirty-four starts and $7 884 650 accumulated in prize-money.

Some will scratch their heads as to why they are not out in a green pasture enjoying a well-deserved retirement but, with trainer’s so often saying that the horse will tell them what it wants to do next ... it would be safe to assume that no such ‘retirement’ message has been received by either trainer.

While there is always a risk in any race, you have got to remember that it is Waller and Pride who have guided these two star performers through the bulk of their stellar careers and, as such, they will know their horse to the nth degree and their judgement call as to whether to the horse should race on has to be respected.

While both trainers have given their charges the green light to race in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, Waller and Pride will still both be monitoring their horses very closely.

“Nature Strip, he’s come back well. He’s showing us all the right signs at home to say he’s going to be competitive and we’re looking forward to the day,” Waller is reported as saying, qualifying that comment by adding, “Like everybody else, we’re not sure if he’s still got it race day.”

And Pride said, “Honestly, I wouldn’t be bringing him (Eduardo) back to embarrass himself. I love him too much. The horse has trialled like he still means business. I can guarantee you he wants to do it. I can’t guarantee he can do it anymore because that’s race day pressure.”

For punters it will be like meeting old friends again when these two magnificent thoroughbreds step into the parade ring and they will undoubtedly share a feeling of pleasure and respect as they watch the two warriors get ready to provide a late encore to what has for so long been a five star show of real rivalry ... hoping that one, or both, of them can turn back time and shut out the opposition ... or, even better, that they can fight out the finish.

What a thrill that would be!

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