David Hayes says Nicconi will be spot on for his return to racing in next month's Lightning Stakes after a frustrating end to his spring carnival campaign.The four-year-old pulled a shoe in running and was found to have mucus in his throat after finishing last behind All Silent in the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 7.Hayes is looking forward to the Group One weight-for-age feature Lightning (1000m) which has also been targeted by US sprinter Cannonball, unbeaten filly Bl
David Hayes says Nicconi will be spot on for his return to racing in next month's Lightning Stakes after a frustrating end to his spring carnival campaign.
The four-year-old pulled a shoe in running and was found to have mucus in his throat after finishing last behind All Silent in the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 7.
Hayes is looking forward to the Group One weight-for-age feature Lightning (1000m) which has also been targeted by US sprinter Cannonball, unbeaten filly Black Caviar, Caulfield Guineas winner Starsplangedbanner and possibly former Horse-of-the-Year Weekend Hussler who is on the comeback trail after a serious leg injury.
"I thought with those Aussie sprinters (the now retired Apache Cat; Scenic Blast, who bled; and All Silent) going to Hong Kong it might be a weak Lightning, but it's going to be a brilliant Lightning," Hayes said.
"My horse will be spot on for it. He had three weeks total rest and three weeks being trained out of the paddock, so he had six weeks on grass and he's back at Lindsay (Park)."
The Galaxy (1100m) winner at Randwick last autumn, Nicconi returned with a brilliant first-up win in the McEwen Stakes (1000m) before getting too far back when third to Danleigh in the Manikato Stakes (1200m), both at Moonee Valley, before his Patinack Stakes failure.
The $500,000 Lightning is run on January 30.
Hayes said Group Two Salinger Stakes winner Eagle Falls would be aimed at the $400,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 20 and $1 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 6.
But the trainer said imported galloper Changingoftheguard hadn't yet acclimatised and he would have a light autumn with the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington a possible target before he was spelled and set for the 2010 Melbourne Cup.
Hayes fears the future of imported stayer Unsung Heroine might be as a broodmare as she is still suffering from what he described as "a nasty tendon infection".
"She's got golden staph in the tendon and she's lost quite a bit of her mobility which is okay for a broodmare but not good for a racehorse," he said."
"If it doesn't improve in the next month she might be retired."
The lightly raced Unsung Heroine, runner-up to Conduit in the 2008 English St Leger, was sold for $2.4 million and was to be prepared for the 2009 Melbourne Cup but has only run once for Hayes when last over 1700 metres at Flemington in early September.
Hayes said Zagreb, who bled in the Turnbull Stakes, is progressing well as he gets ready for the autumn, while Emirates Stakes winner All American would be aimed at the C F Orr Stakes (1400m) and the Futurity Stakes (1600m), both at Caulfield.