The Chris Waller trained Nature Strip stands a chance at history during Saturday’s $500,000 Ladbrokes Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield.

The speedy four-year-old drew the perfect gate (barrier 5) for the time-honoured sprint race, and not surprisingly, enters as the only single-digit favourite with the bookmaker.

Nature Strip, who is backing up from an all too easy win in last fortnight’s Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) on the same track, is a $2.30 chance to claim his first Group 1 win. Victory would see the four-year-old become the shortest-priced Oakleigh Plate winner in more than 30-years after 1988 winner Snippets went around at $1.80 odds.

Nature Strip has won nine of 13 starts, but well and truly ran out of gas in last Spring’s Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley finishing eighth. Dictating from the front, Nature Strip looked home and hosed up until the final furlong as two-time Group 1 winner Viddora raced past to steal the win.

Jockey Damian Lane will no doubt stick with his usual strategy of sitting up on the speed, but he’ll need to be mindful of pressing the button too early. Viddora is a $12.00 chance from  barrier 11 on Saturday and is first-up after a disappointing showing in the Winterbottom Stakes in December.

Eduardo, who returns to the races having won the Caulfield Sprint last October, is the $9.50 second-elect.

Full Oakleigh Plate Odds: