Nononito

Unraced as a two-year-old, Nononito first appeared on the racecourse when he ran three times in the autumn of 1994. He finished fifth on his debut in the Prix du Prince d'Orange over 2000m at Longchamp, then ran second in a race over the same course and distance in October before winning the Listed Prix Le Fabuleux at Saint-Cloud in late November.[3]

Nononito began his four-year-old campaign with two unplaced runs over 2000m before moving up to the staying distances which proved to be his speciality. At Saint-Cloud in May he won his first Group race, quickening clear in the straight to beat The Little Thief and Always Earnest in the Group Three Prix de Barbeville.[4] Although he failed to win in his remaining six starts that year, he established himself as a high class stayer by running second in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (to The Little Thief) and the Prix Kergorlay and finishing third to Always Earnest and Moonax in the Group One Prix du Cadran at Longchamp in late September.

Nononito's championship season began with a fourth place in a blanket finish to a Listed race at Évry, but than ran a poor race when unplaced in the Prix de Barbeville. He showed improved form in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in late May when he finished strongly to be second to the British-trained Double Eclipse. He was then sent to Royal Ascot for the Gold Cup where he stayed on at one pace in the straight to finish third behind Classic Cliche and Double Trigger.[5]

Nononito continued to run well without winning when running second in the Prix Kergorlay and fourth in the Prix Gladiateur before his second attempt at the Prix du Cadran. He was held up in the early stages before Thierry Jarnet moved him up into a clear lead at the start of the straight. Moonax emerged his most serious challenger but the English colt lost his chance by veering suddenly to his left 200m from the finish.[6] Nononito was driven out to win by a length from Moonax, with Always Earnest third and Double Trigger fifth.[7] On his final start of the year he was well beaten behind Red Roses Story in the Prix Royal Oak, a race in which the genuine stayers were unsuited by the slow early pace which turned the finish of the race into sprint.[8][9]

Nononito ran twice on the flat in 1997 without recapturing his best form. He finished sixth of seven in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier and eleventh behind Celeric in the Ascot Gold Cup.

Nononito had a brief but successful career over hurdle, winning several races including the Prix Léon Rambaud, the Prix Hypothèse and the Prix Beugnot.[10] He finished third to Mantovo in the 1998 running of France's most important hurdle race, the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil.[11]