The Everest winner is widely considered one of the finest sprinters to have ever streaked across the Australian turf, but he was unpredictable

Nature Strip is a retired champion racehorse who was the 2020 and 2022 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, a nine-time Group one winner, and the winner of The Everest in 2021, the richest sprint turf race in the world.

Nature Strip was passed in for $90,000 at the 2016 Inglis Premier Yearling sale and sent to trainer Robert Smerdon by breeders Golden Grove Farm. Smerdon sold five 1% shares in the then un-named horse, before convincing retired businessman Rod Lyons to buy 85% and farmer Peter Baulderstone to take the remaining 10%, with the value set at $120,000. Lyons sold down part of his stake to various interests including a New Zealand-based group featuring Sir Stephen Hansen, All Blacks World Cup-winning rugby coach. The horse is by brilliant speed sire Nicconi and was named from his dam Strikeline after the practice of Australian factory workers to gather on the nature strip outside their place of work during industrial disputes. Nature Strip was ridden for most of his career by Kiwi jockey James McDonald, who rated him the world's best sprinter in his opinion.

Nature Strip, initially trained by Robert Smerdon, won on debut as a three-year old in a 1000m maiden at Mornington on October 17, 2017. He was beaten at his first metropolitan start but won the next three races he contested including the Inglis Dash over 1100m at Flemington in January, 2018. Robert Hickmott was in temporary charge due to Smerdon being suspended, but by the time of his next start, John Sadler (part of Smerdon's Aquanita group) had taken charge of Nature Strip. The horse was beaten at his two autumn 2018 starts, including the Gr.2 Euclase Stakes Adelaide. Nature Strip pulled up poorly after the race. Following those failures, the owners transferred Nature Strip to Darren Weir's stables, mainly due to the scandal engulfing the Aquanita organisation.

Nature Strip proceeded to win his first four starts under Weir through winter and early spring 2018, including an impressive six-length win over Gr.1 winner Sunlight in Adelaide. This was followed by his first group win, the Gr.2 WFA McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley in Sept 2018, where he also broke the 1000m track record. Nature Strip was selected as the ATC representative in the 2018 Everest at this stage. Three weeks later Nature Strip was the $1.75 favourite in his first Gr.1, the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley, but finished a disappointing eighth after being forced to race wide. The ATC removed Nature Strip from their Everest slot and the horse went for a spell. In January 2019, Weir was arrested following a police raid on his Ballarat stables, principally over the use of 'jiggers' in training. Weir was subsequently disqualified and the horse was transferred to Sydney-based Chris Waller. This was potentially the making of the galloper. Nature Strip was an impressive winner in his first start under Waller, the Gr.2 Rubiton Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield in Melbourne, but failed badly in the Oakleigh Plate and was soon considered overrated by many race followers. 

Nature Strip broke through for his maiden elite victory at his next start in March 2019, narrowly holding on to win the Gr.1 Galaxy at Rosehill (1100m) in Sydney, a race that his father, Nicconi won in 2009. Nature Strip went for a brief spell before tackling the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 in Queensland finishing 4th and in his next start he struggled after over-racing in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick, but bounced back to win the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. Nature Strip was described as "the most polarizing horse in Australia" when selected for his inaugural attempt at The Everest in 2019. Nature Strip ran fourth after leading but being overtaken late. In true enigmatic style, Nature Strip won his third Group one race three weeks later, triumphing easily in the Darley Sprint Classic at Flemington. It was also his first win over 1200m.

Opening his 2020 campaign in February, Nature Strip finished 4th as favourite in the Gr.1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington. The gelding then went on to win the Gr.2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick at his next start, followed by his fourth Gr.1 victory when successful in the T.J Smith Stakes. He was subsequently given a spell prior to building towards the 2020 Everest.

Returning in spring 2020, as favourite he was run down late by Gytrash to finish second in the Concorde Stakes. He then played up at consecutive barrier trials, before being beaten in the Gr.2 Premiere Stakes and finishing seventh in the Everest. Nature Strip completed the year with a second place finish in the Darley Classic. In February 2021, Nature Strip returned to win his fifth Group one race when successful in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington, with emerging star Jamie Kah riding. In April, Nature Strip won back-to-back Gr.1 T J Smith Stakes taking his Group 1 tally to six and turning the tables on Eduardo, who'd beaten him in the Challenge Stakes a fortnight earlier. Nature Strip was again spelled ahead of a spring campaign targeting the Everest.

Nature Strip returned to win the Concorde Stakes at the third attempt I September 2021, as favourite. In October 2021 Nature Strip finally broke through to win The Everest at his third attempt, leading nearly all the way to triumph and claim the AUD$6.2 million first prize. The horse completed his best spring campaign by winning the Gr.1 Darley Sprint Classic during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, his second win in the race making it seven Group one victories and three in the 2021 calendar year. There was now talk of Nature Strip travelling overseas to compete at Royal Ascot in 2022. Nature Strip commenced his 2022 campaign being narrowly defeated by 3YO stablemate Home Affairs in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington, after being hampered at the start. He was also beaten at his next start, by Eduardo in the Challenge Stakes on a heavy Randwick track. On April 1 Nature Strip won the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick for the third consecutive win, confirming his trip to Royal Ascot

Nature Strip was a comfortable winner of the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, beating US sprinter Golden Pal. It was probably the pinnacle of his career and stamped his authority as one of the best ever Australian sprinters. Nature Strip was rated at 126, making him the world's highest-rated sprinter and third-highest rated horse in the world behind the US horse Flightline and the UK's Baaeed. Nature Strip was voted Australian Horse of the Year and Sprinter of the Year for 2021-2022, winning the awards for the second and third time respectively.

Nature Strip commenced his 2022 Australian spring campaign with victory in the Gr.2 The Shorts over 1100m at Randwick on Sep 17. In The Everest of 2022 he was forced to race wide on a strong tempo, eventually finishing fourth. Nature Strip ended the calendar year competing in the Gr.1 sprint race on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival, but was beaten into second, giving him two wins and two seconds in the race.

Commencing 2023, Nature Strip's program continued to follow a familiar pattern with a fourth consecutive attempt at the Gr.1 Black Caviar Lightning, finishing sixth. Nature Strip attempted to win the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick for an unprecedented fourth time. Nature Strip strode to the lead inside the first 200m and kicked clear early in the straight to lead by about 3L, only to be overtaken in the final 100m by swooping finishers and cross the line in fourth place. Waller refused to consider retiring the horse at this stage, citing the need for a proper spell and confirming Nature Strip would return for a 'race by race' spring campaign. Nature Strip competed in just one more race, the 2023 Gr.3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick on 2 September 2023. The now-9YO was forced to race wide, eventually finishing sixth. The horse was retired immediately after the race, completing a stellar career. Nature Strip had 44 starts, winning 22 races including nine at Group 1 level and nearly AUD$21 million in prize money.

Record - 44: 22-8–1

Earnings - A$20,755,008

McEwen Stakes (2018)

Rubiton Stakes (2019)

The Galaxy (2019)

Moir Stakes (2019)

Darley Sprint Classic (2019, 2021)

Challenge Stakes (2020)

TJ Smith Stakes (2020, 2021, 2022)

Black Caviar Lightning (2021)

Concorde Stakes (2021)

The Everest (2021)

King's Stand Stakes (2022)

The Shorts (2022)

Australian Racehorse of the Year (2019/20), (2021/22)

Australian Sprinter of the Year (2019/20), (2020/21), (2021/22)