FLEM NOV 04 - EXCITING NIBLICK UNDERLINES HIS POTENTIAL

By Taron Clarke | Saturday, November 6, 2010

Flemington, November 4, 2010.
Track - Slow 7. Rail - Out 6m. Penetrometer: 5.02.
The Grazia Ultimate Style Guide Open Handicap - 1600m.
Time: 1-38.14. 600m Sectional: 36.33. (Carrying 53kg).
1 Niblick; 2 St Ives; 3 Glenisla Crossing
Margins: 3.0L x 0.2L

Owner Lloyd Williams unearthed a potential topliner in the last event on VRC Oaks day when Niblick scored a commanding victory for jockey Nick Hall.

The veteran of only five starts coming into the race, Niblick had started a pronounced favourite on each occasion, winning three times.

Stoutly bred by Swettenham Stud super sire Encosta de Lago out of a Sir Tristram mare Leica Vista, part owner Nick Williams paid $220,000 for the gelding at the 2008 Magic Millions Yearling sale.

Sent out a firming second elect in the market, the Robert Hickmott trained galloper started at 4.00 behind the favourite Lakedro for Chris Symons and trainer Greg Eurell.

Niblick was able to put all his talent together down the Flemington straight to career away for an easy three length win over St Ives and a half neck back to Glenisla Crossing in third place.

The win took Niblick’s career earnings to $96,500 with much, much more to come if the style of this win is any indication.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Part Owner Nick Williams: “He's an exciting horse this fellow.

“We bought him at the Magic Millions Sale. He was bred by the Swettenham Stud … the Sangster family … the same people that bred Zipping for us.

“I'd love to think he's still going as a nine-year-old like Zipping, but let's not dream too far ahead.

“He's a horse by Encosta de Lago out of the great Leica family. He's a nice individual with a huge amount of talent, but we've had an enormous amount of trouble teaching him to settle.

“We had to geld him early in his three-year-old career and up at the farm dad and all the track-riders … and Nick (Hall) in his races … have done a great job trying to teach him to race generously so he's been able to finish his races off.

“The credit really goes to all our team because his first couple of starts he was a mad charger.

“Nick's been riding him back in the field, necking him over shorter distances just trying to educate him to get further and I think today you started to see the spoils of that even though he pulled early in the run.

“Nick got him into a great position and once he saw daylight he put paid to them very quickly.

“We'll just have to wait and see how he pulls up. I haven't looked forward at all but he's certainly bred to get a mile and a quarter or something like that.

“Whether something like the Eclipse Stakes might come too soon for him … but he's a horse we're really excited about and we're looking forward to a bright future.

“Certainly this time next year, we'd like to see him running in some better races.”

Jockey Nick Hall: “He handled the occasion very well, which is a worry with him.

It's taken him a long time to put it together but he's now composed, settling with cover, doing everything right and it looks like he'll get further.

“They always take their time up at Macedon Lodge. Lloyd's very good at leaving them to relax and learn what it's all about before really putting the pressure on to win some major races, as you can see with horses like Zipping … and now you can see one in the making.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Niblick): 4.20 out to 5.00 into 4.00.
Favourite (Lakedro): 3.20 out to 3.50 into 3.30. Finished sixth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Banri Maeve shifted in and bumped Packing Success (NZ) at the start.

Okuma was slow to begin.

Also at the start About Me jumped away awkwardly shifted out and bumped Niblick.

Silky Smooth was held up for clear running rounding the home turn.

Approaching the winning post Packing Success (NZ), which was giving ground, was tightened for room between Twiginthedesert and Banri Maeve which shifted in slightly.

B Rawiller (Riceman) reported at scale that he was obliged to race wide without cover throughout the event which resulted in the gelding not finishing off the race.

N Hall (Niblick) explained that his mount raced closer to the speed today than planned however his mount jumped quite well and was able to take up a closer position without urging his mount along.

A post race veterinary examination of Lakedro revealed no abnormalities.

D Nikolic was fined $1000 for breaching the provisions of AR87D after having established that he had in his possession in the jockey’s room a safety vest which had been modified and therefore did not comply with the standards set down by the Australian Racing Board.

In light of D Nikolic’s conduct throughout this matter the Stewards will be tendering a report to the Integrity Sub-Committee of RVL for their consideration next Thursday November 11.

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