Like father, like son for sprint star and sire

It had been 17 years since a Lightning S. winner has been sired by another horse that has won the race - in that case Regimental Gal, whose sire was the 1998 winner General Nediym.

The sense of connection between Nicconi and Nature Strip is only strengthened by the fact that among his five top-flight victories, the Chris Waller-trained 6-year-old has now won the same two Group 1 races Nicconi won in his own comparatively short career, the Lightning and The Galaxy.

While the circumstances of their respective Lightning S. victories were quite different, with Nicconi charging down the outside to nab Wanted late in 2010, while Nature Strip held off a late challenge from stablemate September Run (Exceed And Excel) on Saturday, the end result was quite similar, with the former running 57.12s for the 1000 metres and Nature Strip 56.91s.

Widden Stud, which secured Nicconi after his Lightning S. win, has kept a very close eye on Nature Strip as he has evolved into a flagbearer for his stallion and principal Antony Thompson sees the parallels in both racing careers.

"Nature Strip, being a gelding, has raced on, but there are plenty of similarities in the race record. Both horses were able to not only win the Lightning, but also The Galaxy as well. He was a high-class sprinter Nicconi, and a very good-looking horse. I guess, Nature Strip ticks those boxes as well. The difference was that Nicconi was off to stud at the end of his 4-year-old season, unlike Nature Strip who has continued to race on," he told TDN AusNZ.

A record of producing 20 stakes winners from his seven crops to the track shows Nicconi's capacity for generating a breadth of quality horses beyond his star sprinting son. He has been inside the Top 20 on the Australian Sires' Table for each of the past four completed seasons and sits just outside, in 22nd, so far in 2020/21.

"To sire a Horse of the Year and a horse like Nature Strip has been a real feather in his cap, and seen him elevate to the next level. He has always been a very good stallion," Thompson said.

"His progeny earnings are now around $46 million, that tells you in his seven crops to the track what he has been able to do. He's had 20 stakes winners and we have seen him be a terrifically consistent sire.

"He's always in around the Top 20 sires in the land, had a couple of stakes winners this year and with great winners to runners, at around 70 per cent, which is a huge result."

Strip's success feeds stud popularity

Thompson sees the correlation between the success of Nature Strip and the continued popularity of his sire in the stallion barn. Last season, after Nature Strip's brilliant triple Group 1-winning season, Nicconi's book jumped from 113 to 146.

"The popularity of stallions is a direct reflection of their success on the racetrack. With a horse like Nicconi, he has always had success with his progeny on the racetrack. He has always been so popular, but Nature Strip's ongoing success really elevates him again," he said.

"He's one of those stallions that is getting better with age. We’ve seen it with Not A Single Doubt and Written Tycoon and some of these other ones. Nicconi certainly sits in that bracket."

The comparison between Not A Single Doubt and Nicconi at the same stage of their careers is an interesting one. Nicconi has a higher percentage of winners to runners, 70.3 per cent to 67.3 per cent, while Not A Single Doubt had a superior stakes-winners-to-runners ratio of 4.95 per cent to 3.63 per cent.

Table: Comparsion to the same point of careers

Nicconi has one Group 1 winner, while Not A Single Doubt had two at that point of his career. Nicconi stood at $27,500 (inc GST) in 2020, his 11th season at stud, while Not A Single Doubt's service fee in his 11th season was $33,000 (inc GST).

There are also similarities between the records of Written Tycoon and Nicconi to this point of their careers. As of February 15, 2018, Written Tycoon had 361 winners, 23 stakes winners and his progeny had won just short of $44 million. Nicconi's stats at the same point of his career are 387 winners, 20 stakes winners and $46.23 million. Written Tycoon had fewer starters to that point (489 to 550) and stood the previous season (2017) for $88,000 (inc GST), having already produced four Group 1 winners.

"He is putting himself up there as a stallion whose progeny can really take that next step," Thompson said. "He's always a great commercial stallion as well, always gets you a lovely sales horse. He's certainly a breeders' favourite," Thompson said.

In demand in the sales ring

Nicconi's average yearling price increased to $71,527 in 2020 and his 15 he has had through the sales so far in 2021 have averaged a career-high $105,100. His best Sale last year was the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale where his six lots averaged $151,666.

Nicconi has always proven popular in Victoria, where Nature Strip first came to the attention of owner Rod Lyons, and where the brilliant sprinter began his career, and the Widden stallion has nine lots catalogued at this year's Premier Sale, which starts on February 28.

"He's got good, consistent books coming through and his stocks will continue to rise. Every breeder who has used and supported the horse has done well. They always get well-rewarded and good multiples on their service fees. It's not surprising that he is popular and a very easy horse to breed to," Thompson said.

A simple broodmare nicks reports sees Nicconi having a great record with daughters of Australia's leading speed influencers. He has had 12 winners from 22 runners from General Nediym mares, 11 from 15 from daughters of More Than Ready (USA), nine from 11 when nicked with Flying Spur, and nine from 10 with Encosta De Lago.

He has also produced stakes winners out of daughters of stallions such as Danzero, Zabeel (NZ), Dehere (USA), Tale Of The Cat (USA), Fastnet Rock, Elusive Quality (USA), Danehill (USA), Starcraft (NZ) and Snippets.

Thompson said as time has gone on and statistics such as those above have painted a picture, breeders are getting a clearer understanding of which mares work best with the son of Bianconi (USA).

"That certainly does happen as stallions get into their careers. It does make breeding to them much easier. You get to examine their statistics, and look at what works and you get a real sense of what type of mare suits him," he said.

Table: Most successful broodmare sire nicks with Nicconi