David Hayes says Nicconi's "winnable weight" in Saturday's Newmarket Handicap at Flemington has swayed him into running the four-year-old in the $1 million event.Nicconi will carry 56kg, one kilo less than topweight All Silent (57kg) and half a kilo less than 2007 Cox Plate winner El Segundo (56.5kg)."He has a winnable weight and I'm leaning towards running him. It will confirmed early in the week," Hayes said.Nicconi resumed coming with a brilliant late charge to grab victory over Wanted and Sh
David Hayes says Nicconi's "winnable weight" in Saturday's Newmarket Handicap at Flemington has swayed him into running the four-year-old in the $1 million event.
Nicconi will carry 56kg, one kilo less than topweight All Silent (57kg) and half a kilo less than 2007 Cox Plate winner El Segundo (56.5kg).
"He has a winnable weight and I'm leaning towards running him. It will confirmed early in the week," Hayes said.
Nicconi resumed coming with a brilliant late charge to grab victory over Wanted and Shellscrape in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on January 30.
The Bianconi entire followed with a lacklustre sixth of eight runners behind Turffontein as favourite in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on February 13.
However the stable found that the horse had knocked his sesamoid during the race and Hayes had Nicconi floated to Lindsay Park, his South Australian property, at Angaston.
"He's healthy and well and his leg is good now," Hayes said.
The trainer had been considering not running Nicconi again before the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in June.
However he said the horse had pleased him in his gallops.
"He'll have a hit-out at Lindsay Park on Saturday before he comes back over to Flemington, but he won't be galloping down the straight on Tuesday morning," Hayes said.
Last Thursday, Nicconi was well supported for the Newmarket, firming from $21 to $14.
He was backed to win more than $200,000 in one wager of $10,000 at $21.
Hayes will also start Group Two Salinger Stakes winner Eagle Falls (52.5kg) in the Newmarket, a race the trainer won with Primacy in 1993.
Hayes has likened Eagle Falls to Primacy.
A winner of six of his 15 starts, the Hussonet four-year-old finished a close seventh to Starspangledbanner when first up in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield last Saturday week.
The Grahame Begg-trained Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) winner All Silent is the $4.50 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Starspangledbanner at $7.50 with Eagle Falls at $10.
El Segundo, who hasn't raced since running home well for fourth to So You Think in the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley last spring, is at $17.
Last August the Pins eight-year-old carried 63.5kg when a first-up third to Mic Mac in the Listed Aurie's Star Hcp (1200m) at Flemington.