Niblick Stars At Flemington

Exciting Melbourne galloper Niblick rounded out Oaks Day at Flemington in grand style when he careered away to win Grazia Ultimate Style Guide Handicap (1600m) today.

Ridden off the speed, Niblick came with a brilliant burst in the straight and he romped away from his rivals to win by a widening three length margin.

Niblick is raced by the Williams family and part owner Nick Williams said he was one of the most exciting in the stable.

The lightly raced four-year-old son of Encosta de Lago hails from one of the best families in the Australian Stud Book and it looks only a matter of time before he’s adding yet more black type to the pedigree.

“He’s an exciting horse this fellow – we bought him at the Magic Millions Sale – he was bred by Swettenham Stud, the Sangster family, the same people that bred Zipping for us,” Nick Williams said.

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

“He’s a horse by Encosta de Lago out of the greay 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.”

“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 event 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.”

Williams said connections would target black type races into the future with Niblick – whether it came next start or next preparation, only time would tell.

“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.”

Nick Williams purchased Niblick for $220,000 from the draft of Swettenham Stud at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is a half brother to the Group Two Sandown Guineas winner Moon Dragon – being a son of the stakes performed Sir Tristram mare Leica Vista.

Leica Vista, whose five runners are all winners, is a half sister to the Group One Australasian Oaks heroine Leica Smile as well as Dansino – the stakes winning dam of quality galloper Zagreb