The real Nishino Crescent ($15) stood up at Geelong last Friday, a drop back in distance doing the trick for the enigmatic six-year-old. The ex-Japanese galloper had been beaten a total of over thirty-three lengths at his previous three starts, but a return to the scene of his first-up win in September sparked drastic improvement, making it two-from-two around the Bellarine circuit. Jockey Mitch Aitken found himself in a tricky position passing the six-hundred-metre mark, third-last on the fence with around six lengths to make up. Aitken bustled his way clear soon after straightening, presenting to the centre with a furlong left to travel and looking the winner thereafter. Rival Everything Counts ($12) offered some late resistance, but Nishino Crescent had too much in store, a long neck the winning margin with a gap back to third.
Aitken was as relieved as anyone to get the result. “I didn’t really want to get pushed to the fence, but that’s the way it panned out”, he said post-rae.
“He travelled beautifully for me throughout. Every time I clicked him up he just picked up.
“Geez he was strong through the line”.
Henry was equally relieved to get another win with his talented gelding. “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with this horse”, he said.
“I was cursing Mitch in the mid-stages of the race when he was back on the inside – he’s a horse that needs a bit of room.
“Thankfully, he was able to get out…he might get a little reprieve from his duties for the bump he gave that horse, but from our perspective it was terrific”.
Henry added that keeping his runner fresh between runs will be the norm from here, sticking to distances under 2000-metres to get the best out of him consistently.
We’ll likely see Nishino Crescent back at the races in the next three weeks, an 1800-metre race at Flemington a leading option at this stage.