Nikoli (horse)

Nikoli made his racecourse debut in a seven furlong maiden race at Phoenix Park Racecourse in October. He started favourite and won by three quarters of a length from Musical Boy after taking the lead in the closing stages.[3]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old Nikoli contested the Group Three McCairns Trial Stakes over seven furlongs on soft ground at Phoenix Park. Most of the interest in the race focused on the Vincent O'Brien-trained Monteverdi, the top-rated juvenile of 1979 in Britain and Ireland who was made the 1/3 favourite. Nikoli, however, upset the odds, winning by a length and a half from Monteverdi, who was carrying seven pounds more. The ground was much firmer when Nikoli was stepped up to Group One level for the Irish 2000 Guineas over one mile at the Curragh on 17 May and started the 5/1 third favourite behind Monteverdi and Posse. The other ten runners included Final Straw (who had beaten Monteverdi in the Greenham Stakes), Huguenot (Beresford Stakes), Last Fandango (Blue Riband Trial Stakes), Current Charge (Tetrarch Stakes) and Johnny O'Day (Larkspur Stakes). Final Straw, Nikoli, Last Fandango and Posse entered the final furlong almost level, but Nikoli, ridden by Christy Roche stayed on better than his rivals and won by a short head from Last Fandango.[2]

Nikoli's win at the Curragh made him a leading contender for The Derby and he received considerable sentimental support as his highly respected trainer was terminally ill and unlikely to saddle another runner in the race. Concerns were expressed however about the colt's ability to handle the course and his nervous temperament. At Epsom he started the 4/1 favourite for the Derby[5] but never looked likely to win, finishing eighth behind Henbit. Paddy Prendergast died on the 20 June and his son Kevin took over as Nikoli's trainer. In the Irish Derby at the Curragh on 28 June, the colt was made the second favourite but became highly agitated before the start and finished unplaced behind Tyrnavos.[2]

In the latter part of 1980 the ownership of Nikoli was the subject of a lengthy legal dispute which was eventually settled out of court in November. The colt never ran again and was retired to stud at the end of the year.[2]