Swettenham Stud

A scintilating last furlong, reminiscent of All Silent in the Spring, has taken Nicconi to victory in the $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington today. He is now likely to head to Ascot later in the year.

Nicconi ($4.40,$5.50,$5) was tucked away at the rear of the field by jockey Damien Oliver and was any odds at the 200m still standing up the leader, and eventual second placegetter, Wanted ($8.50, $9) the best part of four lengths but flew the last furlong to win by a long head with Shellscrape ($8.50,$9) an eyecatching third a length back.

Hayes was confident of Nicconi's chances and full of praise for the colt after the win.

"He is undefeated fresh and put his best foot forward today," said Hayes

"That makes him a dual Group One winner at weight-for-age conditions now and I have said for a long time that he is definitely the best sprinter I have trained."

By in form Swettenham sire Bianconi the four-year-old colt has a winning strike rate a tick under 50% a rarity for blue bloods in this country according to Hayes.

"He is a blue blood that can run and there isn't a lot of those colts in Australia," said Hayes.

With a imminent global preparation on the horizon Hayes was still unsure what will perhaps be his final Australian lead up.

"We are looking at the William Reid weight-for-age at the Valley but we may also consider the Newmarket," he said.

"The reason we have given this horse a light year of racing was to go overseas this season and it is coming to fruition now," Hayes added.

It was the fifth win in the Group One feature for premier jockey Damien Oliver and showed that his ability to assess the pace of a race and the horse that he has underneath him is as polished as it has ever been.

Nicconi's prizemoney purse already exceeds the million dollar mark from just sixteen starts and he looks set to fulfill Hayes prediction of being the best sprinter he has trained.