Our Boy Nicholas appears set to peak fourth run from a spell in Thursday’s Coffs Harbour Gold Cup.
Our Boy Nicholas has shown marginal improvement with each of his runs this campaign and last start while tenth in the Anniversary Cup at the Sunshine Coast, was only beaten two lengths.
After settling back and wide throughout, what he produced late was most encouraging moving forward.
The run returned a Timeform rating of 91, six pounds shy of a master figure achieved in the Magic Millions Stayers Cup earlier this year.
He can take another step here fourth run from a spell in the Coffs Harbour Gold Cup.
Rising to a mile at this stage of his campaign looks perfect for the son of More Than Ready.
His latest showing has the five-year-old rating highly amongst this field and looks well suited perfectly poised on the limit weight.
13 runners contest the Coffs Harbour Cup and of those, Our Boy Nicholas is one of just three horses who sit inside the handicap.
Sticking with the class runners at the top of the weights looks the way to go with Slow Pace the next elect.
Slow Pace is resuming off a solid autumn campaign where he was perhaps ambitiously placed at Group level.
This shapes as a far easier assignment than the middle distance Group events he took on through the autumn and on his best form, would take a power of beating.
While he has trialled in readiness for this, there is a major query on the Kris Less-trained galloper’s fitness first up over the mile.
Class alone does have the ability to see the gelding go a long way in this affair however.
A winner of the Sawtell Cup last start, Shazza’s Bubbles has the potential to record three straight successes.
The mare is in fine form at present and from an inside draw, should enjoy all of the favours in transit from gate 3.
Another member of the fairer sex in Elusive Catch is holding her form well and looks capable of playing a role in the finish.
Both Shazza’s Bubbles and Elusive Catch do sit outside of the handicap but regardless do shape as value players in Thursday’s feature event.
It’s Our Boy Nicholas though who has the most appealing profile heading into Thursday’s Coffs Harbour Gold Cup (1600m).
