News - NICCONI (AUS)
Nature Strip’s sire Nicconi joined the century club on Tuesday posting his 100th winner of the season to become the third Widden Stud sire to hit the milestone this year with two more set to follow in coming days.
With only two Group I races in Sydney to come this season on Saturday, the Australian General Sires List has become a fascinating affair with three sires all tied on $15million and change, so a look at the distance sire tables sheds light on the strengths of each sire.
Seven year-old Nicconi gelding Nature Strip is a sight to behold when he’s at his best and we saw that at Randwick on Saturday when he strolled away with the $2.5million Group I ATC TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) for the third year in a row posting his biggest winning margin yet in the $2.5 million sprint.
As we move through the autumn carnivals our leading sire lists are going to chop and change so we thought it was a good time to take a look at the various distance sire tables and the division leaders.
It’s official – the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale of 2022 has been the best ever.
Nicconi had four winners in Australia and Hong Kong on Saturday with speedy three year-old filly Scorched Earth saluting at Flemington, while The Bopper put his best foot forward at Randwick.
Bob and Sandra Peters have bid farewell this year to two of their Group I superstar mares in Arcadia Queen and Celebrity Queen, both sold at broodmare sales for a combined total of $5.7million, but they have an able replacement in brilliant sprinter Graceful Girl.
Fresh from his last start triumph in the $15million The Everest at Randwick, Nature Strip unleashed his brilliance at Flemington on Saturday to score a commanding victory in the Group I VRC Darley Sprint (1200m).
If you are a Victorian breeder, this is a good-looking table of the current frontrunners for Champion Sire.
With $8million in earnings and six Group I wins before today, seven year-old Nature Strip had won just about everything a sprinter in Australia can win barring the Everest and at Randwick on Saturday he added the $15million sprint to his resume with a typically brave front running performance.
The first Australian two year -old race of the new season was run at Flemington on Wednesday with the $50,000 VRC Darley Spring Preview (900m) going to speedy Nicconi filly Cavalla.
It was a remarkable Saturday of racing for Widden Stud with seven of its stallions producing 12 winners throughout Australia : eight of those in the city and stakes winners for both Nicconi and Zoustar - And just to top it off, the late and great Widden sire, Sebring, also weighed in with a Group II victory via Superstorm in the Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley.
With $8million in earnings and Six Group I wins, seven year-old Nature Strip has won just about everything a sprinter in Australia can win barring the Everest and if things go to plan it might be third time lucky for the powerhouse chestnut after his blazing return on Saturday.
The Chris Waller stable sent out some of their spring big guns at the Rosehill trials on Thursday morning including glamour sprinter Nature Strip and a Group I placed maiden that will not remain winless for long.
Proven Group 1 sires Nicconi (119), Magnus (119) and Star Witness (100) all recorded a century of winners in season 2020/21 with the trio combining for 338 winners, 542 wins and over $24 million in progeny earnings.
Widden Stud Victoria is in a unique position this spring in having three stallions on the roster that have all sired 100 winners this season with Star Witness joining his barn mates Nicconi and Magnus in the ‘Century Club’ on Sunday.
Kris Lees is never afraid to send a talented horse up the line to break his maiden in the country and he did it on Monday with a very nice juvenile carrying the Australian Bloodstock colours that has a half-brother entered for the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale.
Bob and Sandra Peters have bid farewell in recent weeks to two of their Group I superstar mares in Arcadia Queen and Celebrity Queen, both sold at broodmare sales for a combined total of $5.7million, but there are always more stakes-winning fillies emerging from their breeding operation and we saw a new one on Saturday in Graceful Girl.
With five winners around Australia on Saturday, Widden Stud Victoria’s Nicconi quietly passed the milestone of 100 winners for the season over the weekend and mong those winners was the talented Gary Portelli trained filly Nicci’s Fling.
The most expensive yearling filly by Nicconi broke the ice for her first win at Newcastle on Tuesday in the Star Thoroughbreds colours.