What Makes Owning Everest Contender, Nature Strip So Revolutionary?

Q: What would it mean for you as an owner, to horse your horse perform on the biggest stage in the world for the third time?

A: That is huge for us. The first time we raced, I was in Tokyo to watch the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup. I watched The Everest on the television from our hotel room before the All Blacks played in the Quarter Final Match, with my children, Patrick & Anna. On the day, my wife Judith wasn’t in Japan with us but travelled to Sydney instead to watch The Everest live that year.

We really didn't think he had any chance that year, but he led with 80-100 meters to go. At that point, we felt he could actually win. He finished fourth that year.

And then last year because of COVID-19, We couldn’t go to Sydney. So, we got about a hundred of our close family and friends together to watch the race in our bar in New Zealand. And everyone got excited but unfortunately, he finished seventh. So, it was a disappointing year.

This year, we have high hopes for him. And as you say, we didn't think he would run again after the first year when he finished fourth, so we can’t believe he will be running again, for the third time. Due to COVID, we can’t take him to Royal Ascot, Dubai, Hong Kong or anywhere else, so Everest is the pinnacle of racing for us with him this year.

I think when you live in Australia or New Zealand, Nature Strip is a very polarizing force. People either love him or they don’t. As The Everest is such a popular race in Australasia, if Nature Strip won people would be influenced to see Nature Strip as a masterful racehorse and that would be really lovely for us as owners.

Q: Leading on from there, if the borders were relaxed do you think you would like to travel with him?

A: We as owners had a zoom call with Chris Waller a couple of days ago. We discussed the lead up to The Everest. He said that he would like to talk to the owners after The Everest and then we can decide whether to travel with him or do we expand within Australia? So that's a decision we hope to make later in the year. Well, if the borders were right and if he’s well, then who knows!

Q: Please tell us more about Nature Strip’s ownership group.

A: There are five or six of us who have been into horses for a long time. We started owning horses together probably about 20 years ago. We're all friends as well. We have other horses with other people but the core five that have been there for a long time, we own horses quite a number of horses together.

I was friends with Steve Hansen who was the All-Blacks coach about twenty-five or thirty years ago. I knew him when he was a policeman coaching a rugby team in his spare time. And Patrick Harrison has been a good friend for a really long time now. He got me to join him in buying horses together. And then I introduced Patrick Harrison to Steve Hansen on a Melbourne Cup Day. That’s how we got Steve involved. And eventually, we had a few others join as well. There are other very enthusiastic owners involved in the ownership of Nature Strip as well 

Q: Do you recall how you ended up buying a share in Nature Strip?

A: Nature Strip’s first owner felt that he wanted to spend money in another area of business. He went to the trainer who knew one of the owners. He said that there was a really good horse whose owner wants to get out of his share. So, we thought, well, why not? I mean, we've, bought a lot of horses over the years. And so, it was good luck for us because it was someone else's decision to pull out of the horse that gave us the opportunity to take it over, which was very lucky as you look back.

Q: But it's also about giving the right resources to blossom…

A: We put him to a few trainers before Chris Waller, but for one reason or another, we decided that Chris was the best trainer in Australasia. And we really felt it was the right decision to have Chris take over Nature Strip’s training. And now he is the best sprinter in the world.

Q: Last you were not able to watch the race as a group. Has that pulled you down? Have you planned something special for the fifth edition of the race if you are unable to travel again?

A: We have travelled a lot to watch our horses race. In fact, we travelled quite frequently to Australia, especially to Melbourne. And I lived in Melbourne for four years as well. So, it's been really hard, considering how passionate we are about our horses. We love going to watch our horses and we especially love the race day atmosphere. So, it's been tough not being able to watch him win those Group Ones. But we are very lucky in New Zealand, and so we made the most of that. Emotions are something that you can control. And although we couldn't be there you know; they still can't take the Nature Strip (the horse) away from us.

Q: What would the next few months, leading up to The Everest look like for Nature Strip?

A: He looked beautiful yesterday. We saw him during the call we had with Chris Waller. Nature Strip will have a couple of trials in August followed by a race in early September and then early October leading up to The Everest.

Q: Which is your favourite racehorse and racecourse of all time? And why?

A: I think you have to say that Nature Strip has been my favourite horse. I really like Flemington racecourse. We had a horse named Under the Eiffel, that won the last race on Melbourne Cup Day, and it was the day that we got Steve Hansen involved. 

We also saw Nature Strip win the Gr.1 Darley Stakes there and it was one of his finest moments. 

Q: Who do you think is a rising star within the industry?

A: I think our Victorian jockey for Nature strip, Jamie Kah is a real rising star in the industry. She will go a long way. However, we are very lucky & pleased that we have James MacDonald as Nature Strip’s regular rider.

Q: What book are you currently reading? 

A: I have just put down a book called Six Dogs And A Volkswagen by a close friend, Sir John Davies. It's about how he became a business tycoon.