Debut Winner for Nicconi

Given out before the race as his best of the day by David Hayes, promising Nicconi filly Hear the Chant lived up to expectation when charging home to win in eye-catching fashion on debut at Sandown on Wednesday.

Not seen at any official trials, Hear the Chant was unruly behind the gates and a little slow to jump, but produced an impressive finishing burst for Dwayne Dunn to reel in the leaders and win the 1000 metre scamper going away by a head.

“It’s a lovely long straight at Sandown and she needed every bit of it to pick up the leader,” said Hayes, who trains Hear the Chant in partnership with Tom Dabernig.

Hear the Chant is a homebred for Hayes and the Devitt and Gordon families, who also bred and raced her sire Nicconi.

“Nicconi won his first start at about this time of year and just kept getting better,” Hayes recalled.

“His stock tend to be the same and I think this filly might be one of his better fillies, she’s very promising.

“She’s Super VOBIS, so we might give her one more run and then a short break so we have a very fit filly for the start of her three year-old season.”

Hear the Chant is the second winner for metro winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Quietzer, who is married to Nicconi having visited him in each of her six seasons at stud.

Widden Stud’s Nicconi has had a super productive season siring 53% winners to runners with 83 winners of $3.2 million headed by Group II winner Faatinah, Group III winner Concealer and stakes-winners Ayers Rock and Exclusive Lass.

He stands this spring at the value fee of $11,000.