The Bunbury Members No.1 Syndicate is poised to get off to a fast start as part-owners of Saturday’s $70,000 Initial Plate (Race 1-1000m) pre-post favourite Niccovi.

20 Bunbury Turf Club (BTC) members formed a syndicate prior to the 2018 Perth Magic Millions Sale in February and set their sights on the stunning Nicconi ex Fully Chargeable filly, and the plan went to script with the winning bidder — Ascot trainer Simon A. Miller — agreeing to allow them to secure 10% in the $200,000 purchase.

“We spoke to two separate bloodstock agents and asked them to list their top lots at the sale,” BTC CEO Alex Doble told Thoroheads.

“And both had Niccovi as their number one yearling. So the syndicate decided that we would ask whoever purchased her if we could get involved and luckily Simon said yes.”

It appears to be a shrewd decision to date, with Niccovi showing above average ability in two recent barrier trials and impressing enough to see her installed $2.65 TABtouch favourite in the first two-year-old race of the season at Belmont tomorrow.

“Niccovi was shaded by (stablemate and $3.70 second favourite) Marcee A Lady in a 400-metre Lark Hill trial on September 10,” Doble said.

“But she turned the tables in a 950-metre heat on September 25 and ticked all the boxes, so she’s expected to be really competitive on debut this Saturday.”

Niccovi is certainly in the right stable, with Simon A. Miller coming off a 2017/18 season where he dominated the juvenile ranks, winning the Karrakatta Plate and Magic Millions 2YO Classic with the award winning Valour Road, while also unleashing the likes of star fillies Lady Cosmology, Market Ruler and Amelia’s La Bout.

“She’s a speedy little filly that can rock along,” Miller said of Niccovi following her September 25 heat win.

“Her time was really quick … she crunched into gear (in the straight) and it ended up being an easy trial win without being asked for an effort, which sounds funny when you consider how quick they ran.

“We knew she was really good behind the scenes, but it was nice to see her go there (to trials) and do it.”

Doble is hopeful the Bunbury Members No.1 Syndicate will be the first of many involving BTC members.

“We have a waiting list of members who missed out on a share in Niccovi,” Doble said.

“So the BTC is eager to replicate what we did this year and encourage more people involved in racehorse ownership.”