Staff Writer |
Nature Strip to enjoy a busy retirement as he heads to a new life in the show ring.
Horse racing is one of the great social occasions the world over. The pageantry of Royal Ascot is known across the globe as the racing part of the social season. There are not too many horses who make themselves as well-known as day-to-day racing fans as well as those who are less regular visitors, but Nature Strip was one of them.
There are syndicates worldwide, and horses like Nature Strip fuel the dreams of owners in all corners and bring new ones into the sport. A syndicate is a great way for people to gain an introduction to the exciting world of racing and make new friends.
Rod Lyons was the majority owner of Nature Strip when he was on the track, and he remembers the trip to England fondly. "Taking the horse halfway across the world, going with the team, all our friends from New Zealand, Patrick Harrison and Jack Van Juren, all the guys, Peter Keene, Steve Hanson, all the guys going to Royal Ascot, all staying together, all getting to the local pub."
"To go over there, the Australian horse, to Royal Ascot, which is a magnificent race meeting, the royalty, the dignitaries, the great jockeys, the great trainers, and think you've got a horse that's going to be good enough to compete and then have your horse go out there and donkey-lick them. It was fantastic."
Nature Strip’s International Fan Base & Missed Opportunities
A horse who travels to different countries to race will always have a bigger fan club than one who fails to run outside of the comfort zone of their own country. It is a shame that Nature Strip didn't make it further than Royal Ascot, as there were prizes in both Hong Kong and Meydan that would have had his name written all over them if connections had visited,
He was a freak of nature, and in his red and yellow striped silks (which were a fashion statement all of their own), he became a horse popular with the public. His recent retirement will be lamented by those who will miss his speed on the track, but his owners have confirmed that he will be busy enough away from the racecourse.
"You can't just leave him in a paddock. He loves people. He loves being in that stable environment. So we'll have him close where people can ride him regularly, go and see him. He'll go to shows."
"He's got a beautiful nature. He's a beautiful specimen of a racehorse. He really is a handsome horse - I think he'll do very well at it because he has a great temperament - the crowds and people and the buzz of the ring won't upset him."
It will be great for fans to still see Nature Strip in a slightly more relaxed and slow-paced setting than we are used to. He will need some of the fizz taken out of him first, and that is what the Waller team will be doing over the next couple of months.
"Chris Waller has got a farm about an hour out of Sydney. He's going to go up to Chris's place, let a lot of fire come out of him and get on some fresh grass, and what have you. Sophie Baker, who's Chris's PA, is going to take a major role in handling him."
Life after racing is so important for horses at all levels - keeping active is what they are so used to. There are so many new disciplines that these athletes can participate in after a career on the track, and we look forward to seeing how Nature Strip takes to his new life after his retirement.
By Scott McGlynn