NICHOLAS JACK has chosen the right time to recapture good form with the Betfair Hobart Thousand just around the corner.
Nicholas Jack looked set to be a superstar earlier this year but his form waned and for a time he was just another spoke in a wheel.
But his genius trainer Ted Medhurst has been able to get the dog back on track and in Hobart last week he delivered a warning to his rivals that he was back to somewhere near his best.
Nicholas Jack contested a heat of the Betfair Gold Cup and had no favours with the draw starting from box five.
But the son of Made To Size made light of the task forging straight to the lead and then proceeded to give his rivals a galloping lesson.
He hit the line over three lengths clear of Orange Boy that flashed home late to grab second, just ahead of Proven Fantasy with the favourite Sing The Song fourth.
Nickolas Jack spent time racing in South Australia at Angle Park and his Tasmanian trainer Ted Medhurst says the dog may have resented racing in that circuit.
“There have been a number of things that have prevented this dog from winning recently,” Medhurst said.
“He hasn’t been drawn well of late but tonight he had a wide runner directly on his outside and railers on his inside so box five was ideal.”
“He did a bit of racing at AnglePark and they’ve got the finish on lure there and they bash into each other when they pull up and I think he resented that.”
“His confidence level was definitely down but he is racing with a lot more confidence now and he definitely races best on the Hobart track,” he said.
Medhurst says Nicholas Jack is probably three lengths off what he believes would be competitive in a Hobart Thousand series but he will still nominate him and he hope for good luck in the draw.
Medhurst’s best Hobart Thousand chance is his kennel star Buckle Up Wes that will race in a neat of the Melbourne Cup at Sandown next Thursday night.