James McDonald on Nature Strip blazing an ugly trail down the wrong side of The Everest and running too fiercely up the in the straight epitomised Royal Randwick’s changing face on Saturday.
With some justification due to his incredible figures, J-Mac has been compared with champion jockey George Moore, who rode the nooks and crannies of headquarters like it was his backyard. Don’t cut loose too soon was the catch-cry.
To the eye, J-Mac lacked patience and touch, so vital when he won the race on Nature Strip last year. But what many figured was a blemish didn’t detract from the spirit of the occasion.
A record crowd of 46,221 – the best for a half century – with a demographic much younger than in the good, old, boom years at headquarters, charged through the gates under brilliant sunshine, perhaps lured more by the prospect of a good time than a bet.
Booze queues far exceeded those at the tote windows even with a pied piper set-up in operation: mobile beer sellers carting their wares around the track on backpacks pursued by a string of thirsty racegoers.
The downside and complaint by old fogeys were the dunny lines, similar to those at football grand finals. Flemington caters better in this area but has had plenty of practice with 90,000-plus attendances.
The buzz at headquarters on Saturday brought back memories of racing’s golden old days.Credit:Getty
However, the Randwick vibe was stimulating. Walking onto the course was a flashback to when racing was the biggest game in town. Maybe the betting ring lacked the turnover of millions, but it still had some of the old buzz.
Peking Duk – music, not food – was on the menu after the last: negative to an aged ear more tuned to a either funeral dirge or Leonard Cohen.
Certainly Nature Strip backers weren’t marching to Hallelujah, but the shock result matched the hype of the venue’s catch-cry: “where stories are made”. The freakish success of Giga Kick, a green gelding not even three until October 19, may never be equalled by one so young.
Trainer Clayton Douglas tuned him to perfection and the always affable Craig Williams, who rides more on brains than instinct, recognised the horsepower that enabled Giga Kick, after a slow start to take advantage of the berserk tempo up front. Unlike other young top-liners, Giga Kick won’t be rushed off to stud, and hopefully Hong King is kept at bay.
Craig Williams boots home Giga Kick to win The Everest.Credit:Getty
While Giga Kick was cooling his hooves back in the field, Nature Strip was high, wide and hardly handsome. Did he really have to indulge in a speed battle with Eduardo, assisted by Nash Rawiller? Rawiller was a target for critics for making Nature Strip work, but he’s not in the contest to make it easier for the favourite. Why did he take J-Mac wider on the turn? Eduardo went amiss, and pulled up lame.
Ron Quinton, my second opinion on saddle matters, defended J-Mac. “Being wide from the 1200 metre Randwick start never worried me,” Quinton said. “It’s only one turn. Nature Strip didn’t relax over the side (the middle stages). Over-raced, wanted to get on with the job. Eduardo didn’t make it easier for him, but that’s the way in pressure tests.”
Conclusion: Horse more than jockey was responsible for the outcome.
