Nicconi Sires First HK Winner of New Season

Widden Stud’s Nicconi kicked the Hong Kong season of in style with a brilliant debut winner in the first race of the new season.

Top Beautiful started an equal second favourite and never looked in danger of defeat over the 1000m, going straight to the front and surging away in the final stages to win by four lengths for Joao Moreira.

Purchased for $36,000 by Aquanita Racing Victoria from the Ambergate Farm draft at the 2015 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Summer Book, the four year-old is out of Delarouze, an Encosta De Lago mare which won three races and finished fourth in the South Australian Oaks Gr3.

Top Beautiful barrier trialled twice in Victoria in the ownership of astute Hong Kong bloodstock agent David Price’s, Price Bloodstock before joining the Hong Kong stables of Chris So where he had caught the eye trialling three times leading into the new season.

He is the third foal and second winner for his dam who has an Excelebration two year-old, a Zoffany yearling and was served by Adelaide last season.

Nicconi is coming off an outstanding season where he finished top 10 in the General Sires by Winner list and last season served a mammoth book of 227.

Nicconi remains outstanding value at a fee of $16,500.