Australian raider Nature Strip (9-4) blitzed his rivals to run out a superb winner of the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot 2022.
The Chris Waller-trained eight-year-old, who had won near £10million in prize-money throughout his career in the southern hemisphere, left his British and American rivals trailing in his wake. He flew to a four-and-a-half-length success over Twilight Calls (11-1), with 200-1 outsider Acklam Express was a further head lengths back in third and Mooniesta (16-1) a neck away in fourth.
It has been billed as a clash between the international raiders with American trainer Wesley Ward's Golden Pal, sent off the well-backed 7-4 favourite, up against the best from Down Under.
