Only two starts back he was just nabbed late on the line in a Rosehill Midway and the Marc Conners-trained Nictock will be looking to go one better in this weekend’s edition at the same track.
In that version on December 4, the Nicconi gelding led everywhere bar the post before just getting run down by Arctic Thunder late over the 1300m distance. He has since tried to apply the same front-running tactics at Randwick on Boxing Day, before again just fading to finish fourth beaten less than two lengths.
Conners has been impressed with his eight-year-old’s recent form and is happy with how his charger has been putting in.
“His last five runs I think he’s been a model of consistency, he’s probably just been a little bit stiff a couple of times,” Conners said.
“Two runs ago that race at Rosehill I thought it was an outstanding performance by the horse that beat him, and he went down fighting that’s for sure.
“He’s racing well and even that run last week at Randwick I thought was still a very good run.”
Having spent his career competing exclusively in sprinting affairs Nictock will be stretched out over 1400m this weekend, a journey he has not once attempted in his 40 starts to date.
“He’s going to be tested on Saturday, it’s a 1400m and I probably never thought that we’d go to that distance with him,” Conners said.
“But he seems to be really comfortable in a leading role in those sorts of races at the moment, and we thought while he’s going well we’re going to run with it and see what he can do.”
Nictock will again be partnered by hoop Kathy O’Hara who has been on board for his past four outings. With two placings and two fourths from the four steers, Conners is grateful to have a bit of consistency in the saddle.
“She’s got a great affinity with the horse and it’s nice to have a rider that sticks for a few runs in a row,” Conners said.
“She gets on very well with him and surely that’s got to help the horse.
“She’s a great judge of pace and it’s good to have her on.”
As to his Queensland Oaks-performed mare Rebel Rama, Conners is tossing up between racing up north this Saturday, or heading straight to the Magic Millions carnival next weekend.
“She’s nominated for the Tab Wave at the Gold Coast this Saturday,” Conners said.
“Whether we run her this week or we wait to run her next week on Magic Millions day, I’m not sure just yet.”