It’s seven wins from eight starts for the gelding, and now there’s a question forming on a lot of punters’ lips – can Nictock be beaten in this form?

Mudgee trainer Cameron Crockett was well aware that rival jockeys and trainers would have been aiming to knock Nictock off his perch come Wednesday’s meet, but try as they might, it’s clearly a little harder than just turning up on the day.

Nictock didn’t enter the Tab.com.au Handicap (1100m) as a favourite either, sitting at $3.75, while In Times Of War was the race darling at $1.95.

In the end, it wasn’t the favourite that won, and Nictock solidified his long streak of brilliant performances.

“Hugh [Bowman, jockey] said that was going to be the plan,” Crockett told Sky Racing.

“Obviously if they go fast and he couldn’t cross them he may take him back but he said he highly doubts that’s going to happen.”

Bowman’s advice to Crockett also came in to play.

The Mudgee trainer been trying to teach Nictock to settle a little better without affecting a racing pattern that jockey Hugh Bowman regards as his greatest asset.

“I would never want to take his brilliance away because that’s what makes him a winner,’’ Crockett said.

‘’Hugh said don’t be scared to take on the better horses because the way he races is how a lot of races are won."​