One to Watch – Geelong

Tara Madgwick - Friday July 13
Widden Stud quiet achiever Nicconi has been the subject of much interest in recent weeks thanks to his boom sprinting son Nature Strip, but it was another lightly raced son that put him in the news on Friday after bolting away to a seven length win at Geelong.

Our Regal Warrior as a yearlingPrepared by Matt Cumani, three year-old colt Our Regal Warrior was backed as if unbeatable in the 1100 metre maiden and never gave punters a moment’s cause for concern when finding the front quickly from the gates, before cruising home to win as he pleased.

It was his first run back from a lengthy spell and first run for Matt Cumani, having previously been trained by Henry Dwyer for whom he finished fourth at his only previous start last December at Warrnambool.

Winning rider Dean Holland was impressed with the win.

"He's the quickest one I've sat on in a while, so I'd be keen to stick with him!" Holland said.

"Matt's done a great job with him.

"It was a very comfortable win, and I was just worried I'd done a bit too much, but to be honest, I couldn't pull him up after the line so that's a good sign.

"I had to sit up, because he was just going to win by too far.

"There's plenty of improvement there."

Our Regal Warrior was an $82,500 Inglis Classic purchase from the draft of Eureka Stud for Regal Bloodstock / Boomer Bloodstock and runs for a large group of owners that also includes Eureka Stud, who retained a share.

He is the first winner for Lucky Toss, a half-sister by Dash for Cash to Group II winner Scenic Warrior and stakes-winner Stanzaic with influential matriarch Tautina his third dam.

The dam of 10 winners highlighted by Group I AJC Australian Oaks winner Just Now, Tautina has spawned an impressive Black Type dynasty that keeps producing with recent Melbourne juvenile stakes-winner Good ‘n’ Fast the latest Black Type winner in the family.

Nicconi will cover a full book at Widden Stud this spring at a fee of $24,750.


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