Nature Strip Stakes betting tips & strategy | October 29, 2022

The Nature Strip Stakes (1300m) – officially the Winner Stakes, rebranded in honour of the previous year’s Everest champion – will be run and won on Saturday at Rosehill Gardens. Some 10 of the 12 horses in the Nature Strip Stakes field come through either the Sydney Stakes or The Everest, which is great form for a race under set weights and penalties. The winner will take home $1.75 million of the $3 million prize pool.

After being scratched before The Everest, John O’Shea’s Lost And Running has opened up as the online bookmakers’ favourite at $2.70. On the next line of betting we have Mazu ($3.80), followed by Private Eye ($5) and last year’s winner, Eduardo ($7).

Eduardo will look to cross the field from barrier 11 and will more than likely take up the lead with Riodini, who will most definitely push forward from barrier three. Mazu and Lost And Running will get the box seat and one-one just off the pace as they will jump from inside barriers. At the rear of the field the usual suspects, Masked Crusader, Private Eye and Weona Smartone, will all be keeping their powder dry before pulling out wide to let down and chase down the leaders.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2022 Nature Strip Stakes.

Since returning this preparation, the Joseph Pride-trained Private Eye has been turned into a sprinter, winning his first-up run over 1200m at Flemington and finishing second in The Everest last start. This five-year-old gelding is an out-and-out Group 1 performer, but usually over 1400m and 1600m, where he has an Epsom Handicap win and a second in a Stradbroke Handicap on his CV over the last 12 months. This son of Al Maher has returned in great condition, and after his very close second behind Giga Kick in The Everest, he has shown all of the doubters that he is a very good sprinter and should not be taken lightly. Brenton Avdulla will retain the ride, after giving him the best losing ride you could possibly have in The Everest last start. He will have to drop right to the back of the field from barrier 12 of 12, but with his turn of foot, we should be seeing this gelding rattle home late to get the prize.

Lost And Running was scratched from The Everest after being found to be lame in the off hind leg on the morning of the race. The gelding has since had a trial at Rosehill on October 21, meaning he should be cherry ripe with three weeks in between his last run and the Nature Strip Stakes on Saturday. This son of Per Incanto won his most recent start in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes, where he beat Mazu and Masked Crusader over 1200m. If this guy gets trapped three wide from barrier five, it could be what gets him beaten over 1300m.

The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Mazu has been very good this campaign at all three starts without winning after returning from a five-month spell. This four-year-old gelding has a very impressive career record of seven wins from his 14 starts, but it seems that he just keeps finding one better in all of his races, including The Everest last start when he was third beaten by a length.

David Vandyke has chosen to keep the aptly named gelding Weona Smartone in NSW after running in the Sydney Stakes last start, running third by half a length when he finished off very well. This galloper obviously has a lot of talent, and if he gets any luck from barrier seven and back in the field, he could be a massive blow out chance.

2022 Nature Strip Stakes selections & best bets

• 2

  Private Eye

• 
  7

  Lost And Running

• 3

  MAZU

• 11

  WEONA SMARTONE

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