Blue Diamond Goal for Nicconi Filly

Sent out a heavily backed favourite in the juvenile event at Moonee Valley on Friday night was highly rated I Am Invincible colt Hulk, but he had to settle for second when Nicconi filly Lankan Star zoomed home from back in the field to beat him easily by a length and a half.

Second on debut in the Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes in the spring, the Lindsay Park trained filly was sent for a short break after that outing and this was her first run back.

Ridden patiently by Damien Oliver after being slowly away, Lankan Star settled well and made good ground to move around the field and go straight past Hulk in the last 100 metres with a good burst of acceleration.

“The conditions when she raced on Cup Day were horrific,” said Damien Oliver, who rode Lankan Star that day as well.

“There was driving rain and surface water, it was a lot better today.

“She wasn’t brilliant away, but she moved into it well and when I asked her she really extended.”

Retained to race by her breeder, Lankan Star will now head towards Black type races.

“She’s grown and matured since the spring,’ said Ben Hayes.

“That was a fantastic win, she had to go around them all. We’ll head towards the Blue Diamond Prelude in two weeks and if that goes well on to the Blue Diamond (Group I).”

Lankan Star combines the blood of two Widden sires as she is the first winner for Clearwater Bay, a three time winning daughter of Golden Slipper winner Stratum from a European Black Type family featuring Group winners Katiyra and Kataniya.

Woodside Park will offer the full sister to Lankan Star at Inglis Premier as Lot 117.

Lankan Star looms as a bright prospect for Widden Stud’s Nicconi, who already has five stakes-winners on the board this season.

Nicconi had yearlings sell for up to $420,000 at Magic Millions and has big representation at Inglis Classic where he has 35 yearlings catalogued