THEY SAID IT

Winners in Melbourne and Flemington turned up the spotlight on the 2010 Global Sprint Challenge with classy wins on Saturday, and gave connections the chance to speak out.

"Definitely," said trainer David Hayes on whether Nicconi, winner of the G1 Lightning Stakes (1000m), the first leg of the challenge, would go to England for its first leg, the G1 King's Stand Stakes (1000m), in June.

"That's as good a Lightning as the last three or four years, and that's definitely been the path (to the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot)." Hayes on Nicconi (B h 4, Bianconi (USA)-Nicola Lass, by Scenic (IRE)) again.

Jockey Damien Oliver had his two bob's worth about Nicconi: "I'd love to see what he run his last 600 (metres)." The clock showed 32.11 seconds.

And would Ollie ride him in England? "I'd love to."

After the world's top-rated sprinter Sacred Kingdom won the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1000m) in 55.37 seconds at Sha Tin in Hong Kong yesterday, his Australian jockey Brett Prebble said: "I gave him three smacks to keep his mind on his job. He then lengthened good and his ability told in the end - he is the best sprinter in the world, after all." Sacred Kingdom (B g 6, Encosta De Lago-Courtroom Sweetie, by Zeditave) won the G1 International Sprint (1200m), Hong Kong's leg of the Global Sprint Challenge series, last year. He will not go back to Royal Ascot after failing there last year, but remains a chance to go to non-series events in Dubai, Japan or Singapore (where he won last year).

WE SAW IT

The David Hayes-trained Our Aqaleem's last stride win in the Henry Bucks Best Dressed (1600m) at Flemington added another chapter to the Hayes family's success story in the preparation of horses for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Shadwell Stud ... and provided more lines for a racing book that could be called Great Comebacks.

Our Aqaleem (B or br h 6, Sinndar (IRE)-Dalayil (GB), by Sadler's Wells (USA)) ran third to Authorized in the 2007 Epsom Derby and had one more start two months later (for a second at Goodwood) before breaking his pelvis. He broke it again on the comeback trail, and in October last year Sheikh Hamdan decided he had a better chance of racing again in Australia ... and a chance of getting to the 150th Melbourne Cup this year.

Well, 914 days after his Goodwood race and at odds of $21, he responded to Steven Arnold's riding and bloused the game Playwright and True Tales. It was a most impressive win and it had Hayes comparing Our Aqaleem to the Sheikh's Group 1 winners At Talaq (1986 Melbourne Cup) and Almaarad (1989 Cox Plate).

Hayes will give Our Aqaleem his chance at a Group 1 in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 6.

Our Aqaleem was one of several impressive Flemington winners who finished strongly out wide. Put 2YO second starter Star Witness (Ch c 2, Starcraft (NZ)-Leonie Chiara, by Lion Hunter) on that list, with returning 3YO Tollesprit (B g 3, Bel Esprit-Tolleranz, by Alzao (USA)) and, of course, Nicconi.

Trainer Shane Fliedner didn't hold back about Tollesprit. "He's a fantastic horse - right up with the Group 1s," he said.

Evidentia (B f 2, Redoute's Choice-Saucy Nell, by Marauding (NZ), caught the eye with her fourth to Star Witness after an interrupted run. Jockey Glen Boss said: "She's actually a really good filly. The trouble is she just hasn't realised it."

Australian Zac Purton, after a couple of seasons of promise in Hong Kong, broke through for his first Group 1 there when Fellowship won the Stewards' Cup (1600m), the other big race at Sha Tin yesterday, holding off Thumbs Up and champion miler Good Ba Ba. "He's been knocking at the door all season," Purton said of Fellowship (b g 7, O'Reilly (NZ)-Mystical Flight (NZ), by Danzalion (USA)).

Fellowship is trained by Kiwi Paul O'Sullivan, who missed the win - one of three the stable had at Sha Tin - because he is in New Zealand for the yearling sales at Karaka.

Purton has 18 wins for the season, putting him fifth behind tearaway leader Prebble (50). O'Sullivan also has 18, just squeezing into the top 10. Joint leaders are Caspar Fownes and Tony Cruz (32).

WE'LL WATCH IT

Our Aqaleem's win prompted a question about another Hayes import, Changingoftheguard (Br h 4, Montjeu (IRE)-Miletrian (IRE), by Marju (IRE)), who was withdrawn by stewards on the morning of the 2009 Melbourne Cup because of a hoof injury - Hayes did not agree with Racing Victoria's vets' decision and was fined $2000 for calling them "knuckleheads". Changingoftheguard, bought from Coolmore for Australian clients, is likely to have his first run for them at Caulfield in a couple of weeks. "I'll probably kick him off in the St George," Hayes said of the Group 2 race over 1800m on February 20.

Caulfield has the G1 Orr Stakes (1400m) on Saturday, supported by the G3 Blue Diamond Preludes (1100m). Rosehill has the G2 Expressway Stakes (1200m). They also race at Ascot, Doomben and Morphettville.