Chris Waller’s enigmatic but extremely gifted sprinter Nature Strip was named the 2019-20 Australian Horse of the Year on Monday night.

Nature Strip earned the coveted award after a stellar season comprising four wins from seven starts, earning nearly $4 million prizemoney and including three Group 1 successes in the TJ Smith Stakes, Darley Classic and Moir Stakes.

This is the fifth consecutive year Waller has trained the Horse of the Year winner after all-time great Winx won an unprecedented four titles before her retirement last year.

Farnan’s brilliant juvenile season which resulted in five wins from six starts including the rare Silver Slipper-Todman Stakes-Golden Slipper treble ensured he earned the two-year-old title.

Other category winners at the Horse of the Year awards were Loving Gaby (Three-year-old Filly), Yes Yes Yes (Three-year-old Colt or Gelding) and Vow And Declare (Stayer), while the Middle Distance award was a tie between dual Group 1 winner Fierce Impact an All Star Mile champ Regal Power.

The main categories were voted on by more than 60 of the nation’s racing media and handicappers, with the winner receiving the highest number of votes awarded on a 3-2-1 basis.