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| Dane Squance |
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The world's best sprinter, Nature Strip, will get his chance for revenge over unbeaten Everest winner Giga Kick with confirmation the three-year-old will next target the $3 million Group 1 Darley Champion Sprint at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
It was initially planned that Giga Kick would go to the $2m G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over the same 1200-metre journey against fellow three-year-olds a week earlier, but trainer Clayton Douglas explained on Friday that the three-week gap from The Everest to the Champion Sprint fits best.
"It obviously suits better for the horse for us not to rush him and to give him that extra week," Douglas said.
"It's the same trip up the straight but the break in between looks perfect. Timing-wise it suits better, with the trip to Sydney and back, it feels like the three weeks (break) is the right way to go.
"He seems completely fine, but I just made the call this morning to go for the Champion Sprint and what an exciting lead-up to a great race that should be."
Indeed, the mouth-watering prospect of Nature Strip again coming up against the emerging star will surely highlight Flemington's inaugural Champions Day on November 5.
Giga Kick made it five starts for five wins when he flew late to secure the $15m Everest, where Nature Strip lead up and travelled well before fading in the final 150m to finish fourth.
Giga Kick had been the firm $3 favourite for the Coolmore Stud Stakes before Friday's announcement.