It was billed as a mini Everest, with six of the starters already gaining a slot in the $15million feature, and it was giant slayer Eduardo who got the better of the favourite Nature Strip in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II Bowermans Furniture The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick.
Making his first start since his Group 1 Doomben 10000 triumph in May, Eduardo was quick out of the barriers under Nash Rawiller.
The favourite Nature Strip strode up underneath him as the two speedsters had the field off the bit and chasing as they turned for home.
It looked as if Nature Strip had dropped Eduardo, but just as he did in the Challenge Stakes Eduardo (Host) began to rally and he worried Nature Strip (Nicconi) out of it to win by a long-neck.
Star South Australian Gytrash (Lope de Vega) was doing his best work over the final 100m and was crowded for room in the closing stages, was a length back in third.
A dual Group 1 winner, the Joe Pride trained Eduardo advances his record to nine three four from 22 starts with earnings of $2,896,900.
“He did not get it all his own way,” Rawiller said.
“He ran the sectionals early. I stayed out a little bit, just out of where the ground is chopping out now.
“It probably allowed Nature Strip to really flow up inside me.
“I never thought I was a chance until the 100m. It was a great effort by Joe to get him here today to be able to have a run like that with four weeks in mind. It was a bloody good training effort, and the horse was just magnificent over the last 100m.
“He was very strong late. We’ve always felt 1200m was going to be good. The thing is he can relax now. With this shifty track I was pretty happy to make them run a bit early.
“He’s a different horse now. He’s the furnished product and the real deal.”
Raced in partnership by his breeder Jane Kaufmann, Eduardo is the best of three winners from as many foals out of the unraced Fantastic Light (IRE) mare Blushing who has not been returned to the Stud Book since Eduardo was foaled in 2013.
Blushing is a granddaughter of the Group III QTC Lightning Handicap winner Peggy Ann.
Eduardo is one of seven stakes-winners for Hussonet's Chilean-bred son Host (ARG) who died last year.
