NEWS
Nicconi flashes speed with Lightning Stakes score
Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2010 2:47 PM
by Tim Nichols
Nicconi’s brilliant performance to win the Coolmore Lightning Stakes (Aus-G1) on Saturday at Flemington probably will serve a launching point for a world tour.
The four-year-old Bianconi horse sealed his second Group 1 win on Saturday by flashing an explosive turn of foot to take the Lightning by a head. Nicconi covered 1,000 meters (4.97 furlongs) on turf rated as good in :57.12.
“He’s got a great turn of foot,” winning jockey Damien Oliver told www.racingandsports.com.au. “The way he can reel off a great sectional, he feels like he’s up there with the best of them.”
Nicconi was held near the back of the field in the Lightning early before accelerating to victory in the final 200 meters. The win reinforced trainer David Hayes’ belief in Nicconi’s top-class ability
“I think he can be invincible as a sprinter,” Hayes told the Australian Associated Press. “I’ve said for a long time he is definitely the best sprinter I’ve trained.”
Nicconi nipped Wanted for the win while Shellscrape finished a length back in third. Starspangledbanner, purchased by Michael Tabor two days before the Lightning Stakes, finished fourth.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s globetrotting Cannonball, the first U.S.-based horse to start a race in Australia, was bumped repeatedly at the start and faded to ninth in the 11-horse field. Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Louisiana-based Patrick Valenzuela, Cannonball finished second in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot last June and entered off an unplaced finish in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) on December 13 at Sha Tin.
Both the Golden Jubilee and Hong Kong Sprint were part of the 2009 Global Sprint Challenge, an eight-race series held in four different countries. The Lightning Stakes kicked off the 2010 Global Sprint Challenge.
On the horizon for Nicconi are possible starts at the Dubai International Racing Carnival as well as in the second leg of the Global Sprint Challenge—the King’s Stand Stakes (Eng-G1) during the Royal Ascot meeting in June.
“He’s got a couple of Group 1s in his sights this spring, but it is all about next autumn and going to Dubai and then Royal Ascot,” Hayes said.
Nicconi improved to six wins from 13 career starts with the Lightning win. A half brother to multiple Group 1 winner Niconero, Nicconi is out of Nicola Lass, by Scenic (Ire).
Tim Nichols is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times
