PROMINENT owners Peter Devitt and Les Gordon along with trainer David Hayes will be waving goodbye to Nicconi after his forthcoming sprint campaign in England but the trio look to have a likely replacement in Columbus, who scored an impressive debut win yesterday, reports the Sunday Age.It says: Columbus was a $1.1 million Magic Millions yearling but Hayes had given the half-brother to former smart sprinter Kaphero plenty of time to mature and on yesterday's showing there looks to be plenty of u
PROMINENT owners Peter Devitt and Les Gordon along with trainer David Hayes will be waving goodbye to Nicconi after his forthcoming sprint campaign in England but the trio look to have a likely replacement in Columbus, who scored an impressive debut win yesterday, reports the Sunday Age.
It says: Columbus was a $1.1 million Magic Millions yearling but Hayes had given the half-brother to former smart sprinter Kaphero plenty of time to mature and on yesterday's showing there looks to be plenty of upside looking towards the Melbourne spring carnival .
''We'll send him back to Lindsay Park now and give him a VIP freshen-up before a spring campaign,'' said stable foreman Tom Dabernig.
Columbus ($6) settled nicely just off the pace and once Brad Rawiller asked him for his effort, he quickly raced to the leader Oregon Spirit before drawing clear of the $1.80 favourite Liveandletdie, who looked to have his chance. Dabernig said Columbus had gone to the races with plenty of improvement in him and the stable believed he would be better over more ground. ''We thought the 1000 metres down the straight might be a bit short for him and he would be better suited over 1200 metres or 1400 metres around a turn, but I liked the way he switched off and came from back in the field and was strong at the end.
''His brother [Kaphero] was all speed but with this bloke I think 1400 metres won't be a problem.'' Dabernig said the colt would be aimed at the Caulfield Guineas.