A Kiwi trio has combined, with others, for a thrilling win in the richest turf horse race in the world.
Top sprinter Nature Strip has broken through to win the Everest on his third attempt, conquering a dream for expat trainer Chris Waller, jockey James McDonald and part owner former All Blacks Steve Hansen.
Hansen, one of 17 owners of the winner of the $15 million race, watched the race in Tokyo Airport before boarding a flight to come home.
"It was pretty unique. I watched it in the airport at Narita in a wee corner on my own and there's not many people there these days so not much noise around but I couldn't get too excited either, just a couple of slaps on the leg over the last 100m," Hansen told 1News.
Nature Strip was in recovery mode on Saturday night, getting primed for races even more challenging than most thoroughbreds.
Like humans, he suffers from allergies in the spring, Waller and his team trying a bold approach that's paid off.
"He lives on cardboard, chopped up cardboard," Waller said.
"Fortunately, I don't have to chop it up you can buy it chopped up and that takes away the dust from straw or shavings that some horses are living on."
In 33 starts Nature Strip's now won 18 of them, six being group ones. Now they're eying world racing's big time.
"The last couple of years we've been keen to go and see the Queen at Royal Ascot but Covid's taken care of that, so let's hope it can happen this year," Waller said.
Until then, he'll likely head to Melbourne and try and leave his rivals in his wake again.
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