The trajectory of Nicconi

3 min read

Witten by Paul Vettise

The upsurge in the career of Nicconi (Bianconi {USA}) continues to draw breeders to the Widden Stud stallion. He has proved hugely popular in more recent times and this breeding season another strong book awaits.

“It’s been a real revelation over the last two or three years and he’s been covering books of 200 plus,” Ryan McEvoy said. “This year he is in line to do the same and that’s off a fee increase (to $24,750). He’s certainly trending like a stallion who’s going to keep getting better and better. "

Nicconi's fee has increased to $24,750 this year

“He’s certainly trending like a stallion who’s going to keep getting better and better.” - Ryan McEvoy

“We can be pretty ruthless as breeders if a stallion doesn’t get a multitude of stakes winners from his first crop - we can be very quick to criticize. Nicconi took a while to hit his straps, but on reflection his race record and pedigree didn’t scream 2-year-olds.”

Nicconi was held back until the autumn of his juvenile season and won his only start before he was put aside for the spring. “He wasn’t an early type of horse himself and then came out as a 3-year-old and beat the older horses in the Galaxy,” McEvoy said.

“The one thing that has been really pleasing now is the amount of 2-year-old stakes winners he’s getting and they are clearly training on.”

“The one thing that has been really pleasing now is the amount of 2-year-old stakes winners he’s getting and they are clearly training on." - Ryan McEvoy

“He didn’t go off to stud at a huge service fee and a huge weight of expectation. Breeders all got access to him and were able to sell yearlings for a good return on their investments.”

Nature Strip is pressing a claim for a slot in The Everest

Furthering Nicconi’s cause ahead of the breeding season has been the rise of the Darren Weir-trained Nature Strip. At Moonee Valley on Saturday, he will get the opportunity to press his claims for a slot in The Everest when he lines up in the G2 Mitty’s McEwen S. “Nature Strip is a real electric horse and let’s hope he goes on with it,” McEvoy said.

“Nature Strip is a real electric horse and let’s hope he goes on with it.” - Ryan McEvoy

He has won seven of his 10 starts, including his last three in succession and a pair of Listed sprints to boot. A commanding performance at the weekend will make him short odds to snare an Everest spot.

Likely to be opposing him in the McEwen, is another in-form son of Nicconi in Faatinah, the last-start winner of the Listed Carlyon S. He was resuming following a three-start campaign in Dubai that earned him a victory and a placing.

He is co-trained by David Hayes, who prepared Nicconi to win six times and two at the top level – the Galaxy and the Lightning S.