Seven-year-old Niconero reached the pinnacle of his career when he landed his fifth Group One win with an upset victory over the odds-on favourite, Theseo, in the A$1 million Australian Cup at Flemington on Saturday.
In a deceptive finish, the David Hayes-trained Niconero ($13), ridden by Craig Williams, put in
a late lunge out wide on the track to gain the verdict by a nose from the Gai Waterhouse-trained Theseo ($1.80) with the winner's stablemate Zagreb ($26) a short head away third in the 2000m feature.
Hayes, who won the race with champion Better Loosen Up in 1991, said that Niconero had put himself into Horse of the Year contention as he has won three Group One races this season.
"He runs every distance now," Hayes said of the gelding who had been regarded as suspect at distances beyond 1800m.
"We thought he might have just got beat and we were wildly excited when we won.
"The favourite, I thought, had every chance and it was great to see Niconero stick his neck out. It's his fifth group one now and we love him.
"It was a paper-thin win and well deserved as he gave them a big start."
Hayes, who races Niconero with long-time stable clients Peter Devitt and Les Gordon, said he thought the gelding might be weighted out of the Doncaster (1600m) at Randwick on April 18.
He is now eyeing the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 21 and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 18.
Hayes was also delighted with Zagreb's effort for a close third and said he was right on target for the BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on April 4.
The son of Zabeel was having his third start this campaign after going amiss before the Caulfield Cup last year.
The win topped off a great day for three-time Melbourne premier jockey Williams, who rode four winners. "I was a bit worried he might overrace but to Craig's credit he switched him off," Hayes said.
"He was definite in his plans, he wanted to ride him patiently.
He was acutely aware of the favourite and that the pace might be genuine and he was proved right."
Nash Rawiller was far from disappointed with Theseo's narrow defeat.
"I couldn't be disappointed with the horse," he said.
"It's only a bob of the head and Craig had the last shot at us. We'd done all the work.
"He struggled to fight off Road To Rock (sixth) and when he did fight him off I guess he was going to be vulnerable for something else to come at us."
Danny O'Brien has abandoned plans to take Master O'Reilly to Dubai for the Sheema Classic (2400m) at the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 28 after he could finish only eighth of the 12 runners. "He's most likely to go for a break," he said.
Zarita ran a good race for fourth as she did in the Cox Plate when finishing in the same position, while Baughurst disappointed in running 10th.
- AAP
Seven-year-old Niconero reached the pinnacle of his career when he landed his fifth Group One win with an upset victory over the odds-on favourite, Theseo, in the A$1 million Australian Cup at Flemington on Saturday.
In a deceptive finish, the David Hayes-trained Niconero ($13), ridden by Craig Williams, put in
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