Mike Dillon: Nicholson has no time for criticism from NZ

Te Aroha horseman Graeme Nicholson told journalists in Brisbane this week that he doesn't care one hoot about criticism from New Zealand.

So, here goes.

No, that's unkind, but you've got to say he can't blame anyone for raising their eyebrows over his programmes for Sir Slick and 3-year-old Time Keeper.

The latter, racing as Sir Time Keeper in Australia, will have his third start in as many weeks when he runs in Saturday's 1400m Daybreak Lover Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

It's not so much that the talented 3-year-old will make it four in four weeks in next week's A$500,000 Queensland Derby, it's that he's dropping back to 1400m this week after 2200m in the Doomben Cup and Grand Prix on the past two Saturdays.

It would be five in five weeks if Nicholson hadn't missed the nominations for the horse's first week in Brisbane.

Next week will make it eight starts since the Derby at Ellerslie in March, which had a 12-race lead-up.

Few horses could take that.

And, to be fair, Time Keeper is putting in useful efforts - he was not suited by the rain-affected track at Doomben last week and wasn't far from them after leading.

Sir Slick goes around for the 123rd time in his career in Saturday's A$250,000 2200m Eagle Farm Cup.

It's start four in Brisbane this trip which would also be five in as many weeks had his nominations not been overlooked a couple of weeks back.

David Walsh went to Brisbane last week and reported Sir Slick as being sore when he came back after finishing last in the Premier's Cup at Doomben.

Here is the AAP report after the interview on Monday with Nicholson.

Graeme Nicholson is used to criticism and won't be concerned if more salvos are fired his way over his decision to start Sir Time Keeper at Eagle Farm.

The Queensland Derby hopeful will line up for his third start in as many weeks in Saturday's Listed Daybreak Lover Handicap (1400m).

The 3-year-old led and weakened at his only two Queensland starts to finish 10th to Metal Bender in the Doomben Cup (2200m) on May 22 before running an improved race for fourth to Kutchinsky in the Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Sir Time Keeper was ridden by Chris Munce in the Doomben Cup and New Zealander David Walsh in the Grand Prix but will have a third rider when Craig Grylls takes over in the Daybreak Lover.

Walsh will make the trip back from New Zealand to ride Sir Time Keeper in the Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.

Nicholson's unorthodox methods have surprised many locals and have been widely criticised in his homeland.

"I'll take any criticism they want to give me," Nicholson said.

"I get heaps of criticism back home with Sir Slick. With him, they've said he should have been retired by now and all that crap.

"They give me hell at home but I'm used to it and it doesn't worry me.

"I want to give Sir Time Keeper a feel of Eagle Farm before the Derby, so why not give him a sprint?"

Nicholson has adopted similar unorthodox methods with stablemate, multiple group one winner Sir Slick.

Last winter in Brisbane, Sir Slick started six times in as many weeks culminating in his fifth to Scenic Shot in the group two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm.

Along the way, the trainer paid a late entry fee to start Sir Slick in the Doomben 10,000 in which he finished eighth to Apache Cat.

Nicholson believes Sir Time Keeper, who is on the fourth line of betting at $7.50 in Queensland Derby markets, is versatile enough to cope with the sharp drop back in distance to 1400m. "They can say what they want about me but the horse is jumping out of his skin," he said.

"I took him to the beach again today and he loves it.

"It's about an hour's drive to the beach from where he's stabled and he works about three miles down and back along the beach.

"I've given him a lot of work and the beach makes him relax more."

Nicholson wants a firmer surface for Sir Time Keeper and is confident the son of Stravinsky will be competitive in the Daybreak Lover.

"It'll be good to get a firm surface and if he does he'll be competitive," he said.

"The track at Doomben [for the Grand Prix] was testing and had it been firm I don't think they would have got past him."