Nictock ready for biggest challenge at Canterbury
FOUR-YEAR-OLD gelding Nictock faces its toughest challenge at Canterbury on Wednesday, but it’s done everything to show it can handle it.
The Cameron Crockett-trained gelding by Nicconi has won six of its seven career starts to date, with the only defeat coming in the Highway Handicap behind Clipper. It has since bounced back with a trio of wins, including one at Canterbury where it next faces its biggest test.
Nictock lines up in the Tab Handicap – a race that features only eight runners, but the talented In Times Of War looks the biggest danger and Crockett agrees.
“I found three horses that could be a challenge, one of them was In Times Of War,” Crockett told Horsebetting.com.au. “Chris Waller’s horse has untapped ability and I would say, looking at the form, Waller would have something in mind for the spring.”
Crockett suggested his runner has come back in better shape following its win at Warwick Farm last start where it defeated subsequent placegetter Realise Potential.
“He’s perfectly and has probably improved a little bit,” Crockett said. “He’s a little bit fitter and he had about 10 days in the paddock prior to that win.
“He came back in well so he’s really good.”
Stepping back up to the 1100m won’t worry the professional four-year-old and Crockett is happy to see Hugh Bowman stick with Nictock after winning its last two races aboard the talented thoroughbred.
“I think going Canterbury over the 1100m… the race will play into his strengths and not his oppositions,” Crockett said.
“Having Bowman ride is a good sign, I was very pleased with that. Hugh has ridden him 10/10 both times and he knows him well.”
Hugh Bowman has a big opinion of Nictock and told Crockett that now is the best time to test the waters up in grade.
“He’s confident and he has a nice opinion of it,” Crockett said. “He said he has good ability, not group horse ability, but he does have a heart and a will to win.
“Bowman summed it up well last start when he told me that he wouldn’t be scared to take on the better horses. They probably have more ability than him, but with the way he races, the way he wants to win, he could beat these horses because of his tenacity and his willingness.”
Nictock could find the sweet spot between horses that can’t handle the firm ground and horses that haven’t got enough fitness in their legs before the spring.
“He can handle the firmer going, which is a bonus this time of the year. I know he excels on it,” Crockett said.
“He’s also at a point in his career where a race like this, if it’s beyond him, which I don’t think it is, he wouldn’t go much further if he didn’t win.
“There’s no more easier races and he’ll be bumping into Saturday-quality horses from here on out.”
Crockett doesn’t have any spring plans for Nictock, which is only in its second preparation, and he will prefer to come back in six months and target some nice autumn races.
“He’s still immature,” he said. “It won’t be for another six months until he races in something too much harder.
“He’s still learning the caper. He needs to learn to settle and that’ll help him finish off even better.
“From here he goes to Saturday (grade) and he now has to step up, which I think he will.”