Racing: Lightning strikes again for Hayes family

MELBOURNE - Victorian trainer David Hayes turned a conflict of interest into a conquest of international importance when he won the Lightning Stakes.

In deflating pre-raceday news, he was told to scratch star filly Irish Lights because owner Coolmore Stud did not want her in the same race as Starspangledbanner, the colt they bought overnight for A$10 million.

Hayes took it in his stride and won his first group one Lightning Stakes with Nicconi, while Starspangledbanner fought on doggedly for fourth.

The win continued the Hayes family's strike rate in the 1000m sprint.

His father Colin won it three times (Desirable, 1976, Sportscast, 1980, and Special, 1988) and his late brother Peter won it in 1999 with Isca.

And it provided jockey Damien Oliver with his fifth success in the $500,000 event, having won previously on Schillaci (1992-93), Gold Ace (1996) and Testa Rossa (2000).

"He is definitely the best sprinter I have trained," a jubilant Hayes told the Herald-Sun.

"He is undefeated fresh, a dual group one winner now and he is a blueblood.

"He will be going to Dubai. It is a great relief, because we have been planning this for a year and after the spring, I have never been so down as when he failed in the Patinack Classic (1200m). You need a horse to have a light year before you go overseas.

"We did that, but he flopped in the spring.

"To come back today and win like he did, it puts all our plans back in good shape. He will race once more in Victoria, either the William Reid or the Newmarket Hcp."

Oliver said Nicconi was "up with the best of them [sprinters]", and suggested the 4-year-old would be an ideal King's Stand candidate at Ascot, the destination of Lightning Stakes winners such as Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast.

Nicconi ($5) came from last to swamp the leaders, running the last 400m in 21.48sec, the last 200m in 11.02sec.

He overhauled the gallant Wanted ($9) to win by a long head, with Shellscrape ($9) a length away third and Starspangledbanner ($3.90 fav) a nose further back.

Cannonball ($21), the first US-trained horse to race in Australia, never looked a winning hope after settling eighth. He finished ninth.

Wanted's narrow loss continued a day of near misses for leading trainer Peter Moody.

It was his third second placing, along with two thirds, for the day, until he saluted in the last event with Flying Monty.

- AAP