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By Ray Hickson

You’re going to need to be very fast to stop Nature Strip – that’s trainer Chris Waller’s warning ahead of the TAB Everest favourite’s spring debut at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Chris Waller (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s rightfully a huge vote of confidence in the world’s highest rated sprinter as he faces the intent to lead from ageless rival Ball Of Muscle and an old nemesis in Gytrash stalking in a scene stealing Group 3 $160,000 TAB Concorde Stakes (1000m).

Waller told Sky Racing this week that James McDonald and Nature Strip can adapt to whatever scenario unfolds having drawn the outside in the six horse field and it’s simply up to the others to rise to the occasion.

“It’s a matter of how much pressure you want to put your horse under,’’ Waller said.

“Nature Strip doesn’t have to lead, he can take a sit, but it needs to be a fast horse to head him off. From our draw we have the luxury of coming across and cruising as he wants.

“I don’t think there is any doubt he’s the fastest horse in the land and arguably the world. Anyone who wants to stay with Nature Strip good luck to them I say.’’

Nature Strip, who holds the TAB slot in the nation’s richest race, has been beaten at his past two first-up attempts but it seems Waller is leaving little to chance this time around given his profile as the top sprinter in the land.

It’s a touch of the responsibility he took into training Winx where each time she stepped out she was expected to win.

Certainly Nature Strip doesn’t have the same aura - the public seems to have a love/hate relatationship with the horse - but the sense of expectation is still high.

The six-year-old was unplaced in the Concorde last year behind Redzel and he also missed a drum behind Gytrash in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes earlier this year – though at the time Waller took the blame for that defeat saying he didn’t respect the 1000m down the straight.

His only other unplaced run in those preps, which saw wins in the VRC Classic and TJ Smith was a fourth in the Everest as a $21 chance. He’s currently $2.60 to win the $15m race next month.

“We’ve had this comeback run in mind since his brilliant win in the TJ in the autumn which set the highest rating for a sprinter in the world,’’ Waller said.

“We know we have a very good horse, we’ve done all we can to make sure he winters well. He’s had plenty of time to get fit, he’s had the two trials leading into Saturday’s race so we’re really happy with the horse.

“I think around the bend he’s a little better in the early stages of his preparation.

Nature Strip wins his second trial at Rosehill on August 18

“There is room for a little bit of improvement, naturally, you don’t want them peaking for their first-up run. The expectations are high and we expect him to run accordingly but naturally he will improve.”

It’s well known that Waller likes to plan ahead with his horses but he’s also an exponent of taking one race at a time.

Nature Strip’s path to the TAB Everest is likely to skip the The Shorts in two weeks and land on the Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) on October 3.

“The Everest is an amazing race that’s only been going for three years, it’s capturing a new generation of people and rivalling the biggest races around the world so quickly,’’ he said.

“It’s a long way off, we’re into finals season but it’s still a long way from the grand final yet.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting