Nature Strip proved himself one of the best in the world by winning the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Ascot in June. Not only did he win, but he dominated a quality field to show the doubters what most of Australia already knew. Without in any way detracting from his stunning performance, we must remember that the racing industry has a habit of getting carried away with self-promotion. Nature Strip should rightly be rated the best sprinter in the world, but where does he really rate and what does he teach us about the thoroughbred?
Why don’t we start at the beginning? Nature Strip is a son of Nicconi out of the Desert Sun mare, Strikeline. He was foaled on 16 November 2014 making him one of the unwanted late foals that the Australian yearling market struggles with. As a result, he was passed in at the 2016 Melbourne Premier for $120,000 when offered for sale by Golden Grove. Nature Strip did not make his racetrack debut until 10 October 2017, winning a 3yo maiden at Mornington as an odds-on favourite. Sent to Moonee Valley by original trainer, Robert Smerdon, Nature Strip was beaten into fifth behind Sam’s Image again over 1000m. Two wins in BM70’s for 3yo’s followed before he was transferred briefly to the stable of Rob Hickmott. He has only one start for his new trainer in the Inglis Dash over 1100m at Flemington, a race that earned him over
