While punters were confident Queanbeyan galloper Noble Boy could win the Country Championships Final (1400 metres) at Randwick last Saturday, backing him in to $2.80, his trainer  Todd Blowes had niggling doubts.
Noble Boy worked so badly in the lead-up Blowes alerted the stewards.
“He’s only a lightly raced horse and I’m still learning about him,” Blowes said after Noble Boy’s win. “Next time I won’t worry as much about a bad track gallop.”
Hugh Bowman settled Noble Boy midfield off a good tempo before steadily improving position. Inside the final 200 metres, Bowman drove his mount to the front and quickly put paid to his rivals.
 “If I had something to chase, he could have given more” said Bowman.
“He’s a very casual individual and he really enjoyed the soft conditions.”
The win took Noble Boy’s record to six wins from seven starts.
He suffered his only defeat when fourth in the Goulburn Country Championships Qualifier (March 2).
Gwenda’s golden day
“I don’t know who you are, but I’ll still give you a cuddle.” These were the first words uttered by Kembla Grange trainer Gwenda Markwell after her galloper Angel Of Truth, with Corey Brown in the saddle, led all the way to win last Saturday’s Australian Derby.
“It was gold,” said Brown, who rode a perfectly-judged race in front.
“I was very confident a long way out and at the 600m I knew I had them beaten.
“I just had so much horse under me. He just got stronger and stronger the further we went.”
Angel Of Truth drew right away over the concluding stages to score a dominant three-and-a-quarter length win over Maddison County.
The winner will now be spelled. He won the Group 2, Tulloch Stakes prior to Saturday’s success.
“It has been a bit of a rush to get him here and when you look at him, he has a bit of growing to do. He is going to fill out and be a much better horse in the spring,” Markwell said.
Two cracks for Kris
The Kris Lees-trained filly Aliferous joins stablemate Frankely Awesome in the Australian Oaks following her shock win in Saturday’s Adrian Knox Stakes.
After being beaten in a benchmark 64 races at Kembla Grange at her previous start, the filly was shunned by punters, starting at $41.
Ridden by Brenton Avdulla, Aliferous settled well back and was still towards the tail at the 400m mark.
With less than 100m to go the favourite Amangiri was in front but then Avdulla switched his mount to the inside and the filly flew home to score by a half-neck.
“Obviously she was up in grade but I suppose these fillies that can handle the (soft) ground and the trip ... well, it’s half the battle,” Avdulla said.
Superium satisfies supporters
Sunday’s $150,000 Wellington Boot (1100m) went to the odds-on favourite Superium, trained by Joseph Pride and ridden by Chad Lever.
Superium got home in a tight finish to defeat Sassy’s Sister by a long neck.
On a strong and competitive card the  Wellington Cup (1700m) went to the Cody Morgan-trained Goldstream with Samantha Clenton on board.
The individual star on the program was jockey Greg Ryan who managed four wins for the day.
He won the first three races (Settle Then Lift, Super Cyclone and Pauldron) before getting El Mo home in a photo finish in the last event on the card, the Wellington Town Plate (1100m).
Soft win for Southern
Saturday’s Cootamundra Picnic Cup saw the Doug Gorrel-trained Southern Gamble, ridden by Maddison Wright, score comfortably (four lengths) from Salerno.
Sad passing
Group 1-winning trainer, John McNair passed away last week following a battle with cancer.
McNair, who began his career as a trainer in Western Australian before settling on the NSW  Central Coast, is best remembered for his top class galloper Hay List.
The star sprinter provided McNair with three Group 1 wins.
Orange’s big day
Friday’s feature Orange Showcase Cup (2100 metres) will feature last year’s winner Letter To Juliette attempting to go back-to-back.
In what is sure to be a great day’s racing, supporting races include the Cup Day Sprint (1000m), the Silver Apple (1000m) for two-year-olds and a $30,000 maiden (1000m).