Nature Strip Ready for Everest

Nicconi’s world champion son and reigning Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip showed he had taken no harm from his Royal Ascot heroics when winning the $1million Group 1 The Shorts at Randwick on Saturday.

Second in the race twelve months ago, Nature Strip collared old foe Eduardo at the 200m for James McDonald before holding the finish of Overpass by one and a half lengths.

The 8yo gelding advances his record to 22 wins, seven seconds, and a third from 38 starts with earnings of $18,529,785.

“Today he displayed that he’s got ringcraft now, to switch off and do those little things right, and help him be better,” winning trainer Chris Waller said.

“He’s doing it the right way, he’s not breaking his own heart. He used to break other horses’ heart’s, sometimes his own.

“It’s a good first-up run, he’ll take good improvement from it and be there in four-weeks time.

“I didn’t know what to expect, to tell you the truth. We didn’t expect him to be this good. I expected there’d be a bit of down time required and his coat might change, it’s a big thing (to go to the UK).”

Nicconi stands at a fee of $22,000 in Victoria.