Patience to fore

Waiting tactics with Noble Boy (Bon Hoffa) were rewarded when he made an overdue return to winning form in the Listed Kia Winter S.

The 5-year-old’s last success had been at Eagle Farm 16 months ago from Todd Blowers’ stable and he has since been relocated to Warwick Farm trainer Clare Cunningham.

“We’ve been very patient and always putting the horse first. It’s his first preparation with us and we’ve had plenty to learn about him and it’s nice to be rewarded,” she said.

Noble Boy’s win capped off a good day for Cunningham’s partner Jason Collett, who had earlier won aboard Rothenburg (Rothesay) and Varda (Lonhro).

Exciting prospect

Mystery Shot (Shooting To Win) was untroubled to keep his unbeaten record intact with his fourth win on the bounce at Caulfield.

Under 61.5kg, the Lindsey Smith-trained 3-year-old coasted along in second spot to the turn before hitting the front 350 metres from home and rider Michael Rodd barely moved on the gelding, who has been the subject of major interest from Hong Kong.

“He’s very good and that was an easy watch. It was a beautiful ride by Michael and he’s a very exciting horse,” stable representative Shane Jackson said.

“The boss will have a look at him during the week and see if he has one more or he may go out for a break. That's the boss' genius, he'll know straight away whether he's ready for the paddock or if he'll have one more."

Varda in great touch

Godolphin’s Varda (Lonhro) added to a tidy record with a comfortable win at Rosehill.

The filly was hunted out of the gates to be on the speed by jockey Jason Collett and proved superior in the run home for her rivals in the Ranvet H.

“She’s certainly come back well and is a really happy filly,” stable representative Darren Beadman said. “It was a very positive ride by Jason and a fantastic win for the filly, who has a bit of attitude about her.”

Verda, who had resumed with a 5l win at Canterbury, has now won three times from eight appearances and knocking on the door of a black type opportunity.

Topweight no barrier

Kisukano (Bel Esprit) showed her class when she easily shouldered 60.5kg to successfully return from a break at the Sunshine Coast.

The Michael Nolan-trained filly, the only 2-year-old to beat the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner Rothfire (Rothesay), wasn’t extended to easily win the Bruce McLachlan Classic 2YO H.

Nolan is now likely to give Kisukano, who has won four of her five starts, her chance in Sydney where he said there were a number of suitable fillies’ events.

Outstanding clearance rate

One of the few sales not to have been ousted from its traditional slot in the turbulent wake of the global pandemic, the Tattersalls July Sale had a markedly different feel this year, but it would be hard not to be encouraged at the level of trade across the last two days in Newmarket.

As noted in Thursday’s TDN Europe, the clearance rate of 96 per cent was the most extraordinary feature of the first session of the sale and that continued through to its conclusion on Friday afternoon at exactly the same rate.

From the quieter Friday session, another 1,768,900 gns (AU$3,360,910) was added to the final turnover of 5,940,900 gns (AU$11,287,710). The sale’s overall average was 18,003 gns (AU$34,205) and the median was 10,000 gns (AU$19,000).

Friday’s closing horses-in-training session was headed by the China Horse Club-owned Pawpaw (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), the winner of a 10-furlong handicap last month for Clive Cox. The 3-year-old (Lot 607) will leave that trainer’s Lambourn stable for a short move to Paul Webber’s Cropredy Lawn in Oxfordshire.

Jimmy George conducted the bidding on Webber’s behalf and, after securing the gelding for 62,000 gns (AU$117,800). “Paul has been up here all week doing the hard yards, I have just stood here and waved. He should be a fun dual-purpose type.”

New sale venue

The Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale has been moved to Newmarket as a result of continued quarantine restrictions for people travelling to Ireland.

The Sale will remain on its original date of July 24 at Park Paddocks, with the breeze taking place down the road at Newmarket Racecourse on July 22.

“The team at Tattersalls Ireland are doing everything possible to stage a successful breeze-up sale and by holding our Goresbridge sale in Newmarket it allows all purchasers to attend the Sale at the leading breeze-up sale venue in Europe without the imposition of the travel restrictions currently in place in Ireland,” Tattersalls Ireland Chief Executive Matt Mitchell said.

Filly delivers

Trainer Paul Harris has a high opinion of Walkthisswey (NZ) (Sweynesse) and she didn’t let him down with a debut victory on a testing track at Riccarton on Saturday.

Off the back of a trial success last month, the 2-year-old showed her talent when accounting for the older horses in the Riccarton Park Function Centre Mdn.

Harris believes Walkthisswey, the third winner for Novara Park’s leading first-season sire Sweynesse, can develop into a G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas contender in the spring. The filly is from the family of the dual Group 1 winner Wall Street (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Apprentice on fire

Promising young rider Callum Jones is making every post a winner in the early stages of his career, adding a winning treble to his record after bagging a double on his home track last month.

Jones, who is apprenticed to Nigel Tiley at Pukekohe, scored aboard Diogenes (NZ) (Thewayyouare {USA}) and Double Happy (NZ) (Sufficient {NZ}) on his first official day of race riding on June 20.

The combination was to the fore again at Ellerslie on Saturday where Jones guided Macushla (NZ) (Dalghar {Fr}) and Gorgeous Geisha (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) to victory in consecutive races for his boss before adding a third with Lupelani (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu {NZ}) later in the day.

“He is a good kid who listens really well, which is half the battle. He soaks up information and has the talent to go out and use it when it’s required," Tiley said.