Group Two Winner for Nicconi
Nicconi has been churning out the winners in recent weeks and cracked it for his first stakes-winner on Friday night at Moonee Valley with the Group II MVRC Alister Clark Stakes falling to progressive colt Chill Party, a $60,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the draft of leading Victorian nursery Three Bridges Thoroughbreds.
A close second in the Listed VRC TCL Stakes at Flemington on Oaks Day, the Tommy Hughes Jr trained Chill Party hit top form at his third run back from a spell with a seven length win at Moonee Valley on March 9 and carried his good form into this tougher assignment.
He found the line strongly for Patrick Moloney to edge out classy stakes-winner Stratum Star in a thrilling finish to the 2040 metre contest with Widden sires Nicconi and Stratum filling the quinella.
Chill Party has won four of 11 starts earning over $190,000 in prizemoney with many more wins in store.
Bred by Reavill Farm, Chill Party is the best of three winners from Dressed to Impress, a half-sister by Turtle Island (IRE) to Group I winners Titanic Jack and Sober Suit.
He was a successful pinhook for Three Bridges Thoroughbreds having been bought by Paul Willetts for $30,000 from the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Chill Party is the first stakes-winner for dual Group I winner Nicconi, who is up running second on the Leading Australian Second Season Sires List by winners.
The win of Chill Party made it a race to race double for Nicconi, with his smart sprinting son Nicoscene successful in the previous race over 1200 metres.
Prepared by Lee and Anthony Freedman, Nicoscene has won two races and placed five times from nine starts earning over $123,000 in prizemoney.