Group Two Winner for Nicconi

Improving Nicconi gelding Faatinah held off expensive Snitzel colt Sooboog to win the Group II SAJC Euclase Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday.

A homebred for Shadwell Australia trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Faatinah won his last start at the same venue when resuming from a spell but was stepping up sharply in grade.

He rose to the challenge, racing up on the pace and fighting on with great determination to win the 1200 metre sprint by a long neck over $1.5 million Snitzel colt Sooboog.

“I think he’s a potential Group I sprinter,” Hayes said of Faatinah.

“He’s never quite shown us in races what he does in trackwork.

“He was exposed a long way from here today and I thought he won well.
“In 12 months time I’m sure there will be Group I winners come out of this race, it’s a genuine Group II race.”

Three-year-olds will carry 52.5kg in the Group I Goodwood Handicap over 1200m in two weeks time and Hayes said he would consider his options.

“It will be tempting if he eats up and comes out of the race in good order,” Hayes said.

“We’ll look at it for sure but he’s done a good job to get this far and he’s got more improvement to come.”

Foaled and raised at Yarraman Park for Shadwell,  Faatinah is the best of four winners from imported Danehill mare Alqwah (IRE), who comes from the family of NZ Horse of the Year King’s Chapel.

Faatinah is the seventh stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s quite achiever Nicconi, who is among the most successful sires in the country in terms of strike rate with 52% winners to runners this season.

He’s priced at an affordable fee of $11,000.