Photo: Monica Toretto
A peach of a ride and a superior staying effort combined to produce a stirring Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) victory for Canterbury raider Noble Knight (Ghibellines) at Wingatui.
The Sandy-Cunningham trained and part-owned eight-year-old went into the contest off the back of a victory over 2000m at Riccarton before rounding out his preparation for the feature staying event with a close up second behind race rival Smooth Operator in the Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m) two weeks ago.
Northern rider Matt Cameron made the trip down to Wingatui to partner the son of the former White Robe Lodge stallion Ghibellines and produced a copybook performance on the veteran, positioning him sweetly one-out just ahead of midfield in the early running before looming into contention shortly after runners rounded the final turn.
Smooth Operator, the heavily backed $3.30 race favourite, kicked to the lead at that point and looked to be full of running as Noble Knight, In Vegas and Generation Joy set out after him.
Cameron gave his mount a couple of flicks behind the saddle and Noble Knight shot clear before stretching his final winning margin to just on two lengths from the hard charging Capo Del Impero who snatched second off In Vegas in the shadows of the post.
Cunningham was overjoyed with the victory after her charge had finished third in the event back in 2024.
“That is so exciting,” Cunningham said.
“I’m just overwhelmed really, although he deserves it as he is just such a consistent horse and never goes a bad race.
“We’ve placed him reasonably well and he has had a wee trip to Australia, where he ran second at Moonee Valley, which was really exciting.
“We had a placing with our trotter Eurostyle in a Group One at Addington last night, where I was yelling at the TV so it could be a fun night here now so look out Wingatui.”
Cameron was also pleased with the performance after making his second trip to Wingatui in 20 years.
“His form has been solid and he gave me a super ride as he lobbed nicely after there was speed on at the start,” he said.
“He tracked into it three and four wide before the turn where we had cover and when we peeled off their backs he bolted in.
“With the run he got he relaxed beautifully and was loving it on the line.
“I’ve won a few country cups but I’ve only been here once, which was about 20 years ago, and it is good to be back.”
Noble Knight was purchased out of White Robe Lodge’s draft during the New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale in 2019 for $22,500 by Cunningham and he has now won on nine occasions while he has also placed a further 23 times for just over $492,000 in stakes earnings.
