KEY POINTS:
Graeme Nicholson is unconcerned headliner Sir Slick has to drop back from 2000m to 1600m for tomorrow's $150,000 Otaki Maori Weight-For-Age.
More important, he says, is that Sir Slick is even less concerned.
"All he'll be thinking is: 'Don't I have to go any further than that today'," says Nicholson. "It won't even be a factor."
Sir Slick won his first race past 1600m when he stretched to 2000m to take the $150,000 Whakanui Stud International at Te Rapa last start.
The trouble he struck when he became sore kicking out at a concrete wall after the race at Te Rapa is not an issue, says Nicholson.
"He was a bit foot sore for a couple of days, but he did his work in the water walker and he's fine now. He's going to be very hard to beat."
Tactics in this race will be interesting.
Sir Slick used to be widely known as a leader, but since Opie Bosson has been riding him in his last couple of starts he's been more than happy to settle behind the speed.
Even over 2000m last start he was very content to be tucked away behind the first two until asked to come out and sprint on the home bend.
He will not have Bosson to guide him this time - Nicholson some time back struck a deal whereby Bosson rides the horse in the north and Palmerston North jockey Bruce Herd has the mount in races south of Taupo.
Herd won the Anniversary Handicap at Trentham three starts back and stood down for the group one Thorndon Mile a week later to ride Mikki Street, who tragically had to be put down before the race.
Nicholson is unsure what he expects Sir Slick to do around the pace.
"I can't see what can lead apart from Jokers Wild. I don't know if he's going to try and lead or not, but I don't care if he does."
This is very much a make or break race for Jokers Wild.
He looked well below his best with a lacklustre sixth behind Darci Brahma in the $150,000 Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa last start.
The only explanation his connections can produce is that he fought his tongue tie to a degree that cut his tongue and held his breath for the second half of the race.
Jokers Wild has some very important Australian engagements, but the stable cannot put him on a transtasman flight until they see a flash of the high class form everyone knows the colt is capable of.
Bosson rides last-start Ellerslie promoted winner Shikoba.
At first glance Shikoba was not overly impressive in that race, but a ridiculously slow pace meant she had to be ridden against her pattern with Bosson having to sprint her around mid-race to get handier for what was clearly going to be a sprint home.
She also did not help herself by running out in the final stages.
Sydney sprinter Shinzig flew home late to push Darci Brahma to a half length decision at group one level at Te Rapa and rider Matt Cameron said he couldn't wait for a rematch with Darci Brahma at Otaki.
Well, of course, Darci Brahma has been retired so it should make Shinzig's job a lot easier.
A statistic against him is that he has tried 1600m five times in his career and has yet to run a place.
