Reigning Australian Horse Of The Year Nature Strip was back to his brilliant best with a dominant win in Saturday’s Gr1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.
Nature Strip settled towards the rails side as Pippie set the speed till 300m out where Nature Strip went clear and it was left to the three-year-olds September Run and Swat’s That to finish strongly for the minor placings.
It is the 15th win from 28 starts for the reigning Australian Horse of the Year and his fifth win at Gr.1 level.
Inbred 3×4 to Danzig (Northern Dancer), Nature Strip is the best runner to date for Nicconi (Bianconi) who also won the Gr.1 Lightning Stakes as well as the Gr.1 The Galaxy.
Nicconi has enjoyed good success with mares carrying Danehill (Danzig) in their pedigree including Gr.2 winners Faatinah and Sircconi and Gr.3 winners Niccanova and Time Awaits.
Nature Strip is a half-brother to Listed Fernhill Handicap winner The Barrister (Star Witness), their dam Strikeline (Desert Sun) a winner of six races including the Gr3 Ian McEwen Trophy at Moonee Valley and a half-sister to Gr3 Eclipse Stakes winner Bashful Girl (Perugino).
The granddam Strike High won five races including the Kisted Hopetoun Handicap at Caulfield and third in the Gr3 VRC St Leger at Flemington.
Further back, Nature Strip traces to Friar’s Daughter (Friar Marcus), the dam of Bahram (Blandford) and Dastur (Solario).