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Nicconi Books Hayes a Trip to Ascot

Published by charl on February 1, 2010

DAVID Hayes took aim at the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot after his 4yo charge Nicconi flashed home to win the Gr. Lightning Stakes (WFA) at Flemington on Saturday, reports JEFF ZERBST.

The race was the first leg of the Global Sprint Challenge and it could not have produced a more worthy or more exciting winner.

A 4yo entire by Bianconi (US) out of a Scenic (IR) mare, Nicconi is a sprinting powerhouse with a truly astonishing finish.

Backed from 9-2 to 4-1 second favourite, Nicconi had many admirers but he wasn’t as fancied as 3-1 toppie Starspangledbanner, purchased overnight by Coolmore Stud for $10 million.

US visitor Cannonball started at 20-1 while Brisbane speedster Burdekin Blues, the certain pacemaker over the 1000m trip, went off 9-2.

The race quickly settled into the expected pattern with Burdekin Blues highballing in front ahead of Seeking Attention (100-1) and Honest Truth (40-1) while Starspangledbanner and Chris Waller-trained Shellscrape (8-1) waited to pounce.

In-form trainer Peter Moody’s runner Wanted (8-1) was right there too while stable companion Headway (8-1) raced at the tail of the field.

Nicconi passed the halfway mark in 10^th spot, and he hadn’t improved position with 400m to go. Then jockey Damien Oliver revved him up and he started his challenge down the outside.

Starspangledbanner failed to lift his game with 200m to go and it was Wanted (Brad Rawiller) who powered past fading Burdekin Blues to look the certain winner.

Nicconi, however, now resembled a bat out of hell and he swished past the persistent Shellscrape with ears pricked to take aim at Wanted.

In a heart-stopping flash of speed Nicconi ranged alonside Wanted and his irresistible momemtum got him home by a long head.

The finishing order was Nicconi, Wanted, Shellscrape, Starspangledbanner and Headway (a super run from last). The winning time was 57.12 sec, with Nicconi cutting out 32.81 sec for the final 600m.

The win secured the entire a trip to Ascot and Hayes, who has never raced in England, said the challenge was on like a scone.

“He’s the best sprinter I’ve trained and this race is a proven path to Royal Ascot,” said Hayes. “We’ll give him one more local run and then we’re off for a crack at the King’s Stand and the Golden Jubilee.”

It was jockey Damien Oliver’s fifth win in the Lightning Stakes and he liked what he felt underneath him.

“The plan was to pick them off one by one,” he said. “He did it in awesome fashion.”

He added: “I’d love to ride him at Ascot.”

That training performance by Hayes was good, but his other winning effort on the day was even better.

The handler, who hails from a legendary racing dynasty, sent out Our Aqaleem in a 1600m hanidcap and few gave this one a chance. The UK import hadn’t raced for 30 months, carried topweight of 59kg and his last win had been over 2300m.

The big “but” that hasty some punters missed was that Our Aqaleem had finished third in the 2007 Epsom Derby. Form doesn’t come much better than that and when the 6yo son of Sinndar (IRE) came into the parade ring, the TVN analyst audibly gasped.

“What have I done? I’ve left that out of my Big 6!” he moaned. “I’m off to have a saving bet. Look at him!”

Our Aqaleem was, indeed, bursting out of his skin, and it was no surprise to see him shorten from 25-1 to 20-1. He proceeded to run a quite extraordinary race.

The entire raced in touch in the 12-horse field, cornered close to the leaders, and then whacked away strongly down the outside. With 200m to go, however, he wasn’t getting the better of 3-1 fav True Tales or 15-2 shot Playright. It looked to be a sure case of “Great debut - be with him next time.”

But jockey Steven Arnold felt there was more in the tank and he drove Our Aqaleem for all he was worth. The strapping male dived at the wire and … what the … did he just get up?

The camera showed that Hayes’ newbie had indeed triumphed by a nose over Playwright, with True Tales a head further away in third.

“How good was that?” smiled Hayes. “This horse cracked his pelvis twice, forcing Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum to send him to me.

“Now he comes back after two and a half years and wins under 59kg!

“His mission is the Melbourne Cup. He’ll have a light autumn and then make his bid.”

Time for me to finish this piece and rush off to find an early Melbourne Cup ante-post market. I want a zillion dollars on Our Aqaleem. This 6yo, who has only raced six times for two wins, is as good a stayer as anything you’ll find anywhere.

Nicconi and Our Aqaleem = one bloody fantastic day for D.A.Hayes.

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