Trainer Clare Cunningham and jockey Jason Collett seal Noble Boy win with mounting-yard kiss
Jockey Jason Collett is red-hot at the moment, but for trainer and partner Clare Cunningham that immediately set off alarm bells before the Rosehill feature race. She need not have worried.
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Racing’s power couple Clare Cunningham and Jason Collett combined with a rejuvenated Noble Boy to claim the feature at Rosehill Gardens.
Noble Boy scored his first win since being transferred to the Cunningham stable when he came with an inside run to take out the Listed $150,000 Kia Winter Stakes (1400m).
Collett was in white-hot form, turning up the heat on a wintry afternoon and completing a treble on Noble Boy after his earlier successes with Rothenburg and Varda.
But Cunningham admitted she was concerned her partner may have used up all his luck with his earlier winners.
“I thought, bugger you, you’ve lost all the luck again today,’’ Cunningham said.
“But Jase is in great form and he rides this horse very well so I’m glad to have him on board.
“I’m very happy for him to ride three winners but we don’t want it to get to his head. He is already winning enough lately.”
Collett has been riding in sensational form and his Rosehill treble followed his wins on both days of the Grafton carnival last week including the Grafton Cup on Sixties Groove.
He’s also ridden a double at the previous two Sydney Saturday meetings including the Listed McKell Cup on Frankely Awesome two weeks ago.
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Collett greeted Cunningham with a kiss after guiding Noble Boy to his first race win in 14 months.,
“He travelled really well today, even just the way he left the gate, he hasn’t done that all preparation,’’ Collett said.
“We just wanted to get him up to a distance and travelling in his comfort zone. He probably got left a bit when they sprinted, which is half the reason why I didn’t come out too far.’’
Collett’s tactically astute ride saw Noble Boy ($4.60) burst through to run down early leader Taikomochi ($41) to win by a neck with Order Again ($5.50) a half neck away third.
The Winter Stakes was a blanket finish with favourite Trumbull ($4) finishing sixth but only one-and-half lengths from the winner.
Noble Boy won the 2019 Country Championships Final at Randwick then ran fourth in The Kosciuszko and third in the Group 3 Chatham Stakes during the spring carnival.
But after Noble Boy ran last in the Villiers Stakes, he was sent to Cunningham to train.
“It was a bit messy with the old ownership and trainer group but I said I didn’t want anything to do with that,’’ Cunningham said.
“The owners have been really good to me and supported us the whole preparation.’’
Cunningham was initially advised that Noble Boy was essentially a sprinter and she believed the gelding would be well suited to a Sydney winter sprint campaign.
But the more Noble Boy progressed in his preparation, the more convinced Cunningham and Collett became that the horse needed further.
“We were told he was a sprinter and looking at the winter calendar, I thought ‘oh good’ it will suit him,’’ Cunningham said.
“But once he got into our routine he was telling us he needed seven or eight furlongs (1400m or 1600m).
“Obviously, being the first preparation, we had plenty to learn about him and it’s just the nice the plan has pulled off.
“The horse always came first, no-one stressed out, we’ve always had the support of the owners and we’ve been rewarded today.
“It had been a little bit frustrating as I couldn’t get him up in trip as fast as I wanted. I was trying to find races in other locations but thank God we didn’t go to Melbourne last weekend, we didn’t get a run until race day.
“We have done the right thing by the horse and built him up through his distances nicely and he looked terrific in the yard today.’’
Cunningham said Noble Boy is likely to be given his chance in the Listed $150,000 Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens in two weeks.
“If he pulls up well we will go to the Winter Challenge,’’ she said. “We will see how he goes next start and if Jase thinks he can run another 100m we will look for a mile race.’’
TAB BIG BETS
RACE 1
Favourite backers enjoyed a terrific start to the day with North Pacific winning easily.
North Pacific was heavily backed when the opening price of $3.50 appeared on Wednesday.
Despite the weight of support, North Pacific did drift late in betting from $2.30 to $2.60.
Late bets of $5,000 at $2.30 and $5,000 at $2.50 were placed on North Pacific.
Second elect Lady Banff was a notable raceday drifter ($3.70-$5) and was unplaced.
Sahra ($8-$6.50-$7 on raceday) and Shaik ($12) were the minor placegetters.
RACE 2
Favourite punters were left lamenting after well supported favourite Fulmina failed to place.
Fulmina was backed on raceday from $2.60 to as short as $2.15 before closing $2.20.
Fulmina attracted 62 per cent of the support from TAB customers.
Korcho was $17 out to $21 before closing $19 on raceday.
One bet of $3,000 at $17 was placed on Korcho on Saturday.
New Arrangement ($7) and My Swashbuckler ($7) were the minor placegetters.
RACE 3
rothenburg appreciated the heavy going and was far too good in the TAB Highway.
Rothenburg eased as raceday favourite from $4.20 to as much as $4.80 before closing $4.60.
Second elect Starliv had raceday backing ($12-$8) but failed to figure in the placings.
Runner-up Zakeriz was specked at a price on raceday from $14 to $11.
Roman ($18) finished third
RACE 4
In a head-bobbing finish, Lewis just managed to get the better of Frosty Rocks.
Lewis was solid throughout raceday betting around the $5-$6 mark before closing $5.50.
Frosty Rocks ($4.60-$7) was easy in raceday betting and almost defied the drift.
Steel Diamond ($7.50-$5.50-$6.50 on raceday) finished third.
Zing ($5.50-$4.20-$4.60) was the unplaced favourite.
One bet of $4,000 at $6.50 was placed on Academy (closed $6.50).
RACE 5
Varda ploughed through the heavy and made it two wins from two starts this campaign.
Varda hardly budged in raceday betting around the $2.70-$2.80 mark and closed $2.80.
Support for Varda included a $4,000 wager at $2.80.
Third placegetter Switched was backed from $3.90 to $3.10 before closing $3.40.
Estrado ($21) was the runner-up while one TAB punter placed $5,000 at $5.50 on Zaniah.
RACE 6
Edison lapped up the heavy conditions and secured his fourth win from 13 career starts.
Edison was rock solid throughout raceday betting around the $4.80-$5.50 mark (closed $5).
Bandersnatch held favouritism despite easing from $2.50 to $3.70 and failed to fire.
Runner-up Orcein was specked from $9.50 to as short as $6.50 before closing $7.
Third placegetter Monegal hovered around the $6-$6.50 mark on raceday and closed $6.
One bet of $4,000 at $5.50 was placed on Word For Word ($7.50-$4.80-$5.50).
RACE 7
Jason Collett was able to boot home Noble Boy in a stirring finish to the Winter Stakes.
Noble Boy was popular on raceday firming from $5 to $4.60 second elect.
One TAB punter plonked $20,000 at $1.75 on Noble Boy to run a place just as the gates opened.
Drifting favourite Trumbull ($3.40-$4.20) did not finish in the placings.
One bet of $4,200 at $4 was placed on Trumbull.
Third placegetter Order Again ($6.50-$5.50) and unplaced Dealmaker ($6-$5) were fancied.
Rank outsider Taikomochi ($23-$41 on raceday) almost hung on for victory.
RACE 8
Early punters were rewarded after Inanup saluted in the penultimate race.
Inanup opened $15 on Wednesday and was as short as $7 on raceday before closing $9.
Unplaced favourite Kordia was heavily fancied from $2.60 to $2.30 on raceday.
True Detective – also unplaced – firmed from $5.50 to $4.80 late including a $4,000 bet at $5.
Prime Candidate ($8.50-$14) and Poetic Charmer ($19-26) filled the minor placings.
RACE 9
Under the urgings of apprentice Brock Ryan, Partners just managed to hold off Malea Magic.
In a tough finish to the day, Partners was backed from $7.50 to $5 favourite.
Accelerato was a late firmer ($7-$5.50) but finished fourth.
One TAB punter whacked $10,000 at $2.30 on Accelerato to run a place.
Raceday morning favourite Monte Ditto was as short as $4.60 before closing $5.50.
Malea Magic ($5.50-$7) and Charretera ($7.50-$7-$8.50-$8) were the minor placegetters.
Originally published as Trainer Clare Cunningham and jockey Jason Collett seal Noble Boy win with mounting-yard kiss