Deserved Dunedin Gold Cup Victory for Noble Knight (NZ)

NZB South Island Sale graduate Noble Knight (NZ) (Ghibellines) took his career earnings to the brink of $500,000 with a richly deserved big-race breakthrough in the $180,000 Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) at Wingatui on Saturday.

Trainer and part-owner Sandy Cunningham paid $22,500 to buy Noble Knight from the White Robe Lodge draft at the 2019 South Island Sale. The super-consistent gelding has now had 61 starts for nine wins, 23 placings and $492,024 in prize-money.

Until Saturday, the only thing missing from Noble Knight’s CV was a win at black-type level. He had previously placed in the Group Three Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) and the 2024 edition of the Dunedin Gold Cup. Saturday, finally, was Noble Knight’s turn to take his place at the top of the podium in a feature race.

Ridden by Matt Cameron, Noble Knight settled in seventh spot and one off the rail in a strung-out field.

Noble Knight was travelling as well as anyone as the field bunched up coming down the side of the track, and Cameron hooked out five wide at the turn to stake his claim. Noble Knight finished strongest of all down the straight, going on to score by a length and three-quarters.

“His form has been solid and he gave me a super ride today,” Cameron said. “He lobbed nicely in behind a good speed. He tracked into it three and four wide before the turn, where we had cover, and then we peeled off their backs and he bolted in.

“He relaxed beautifully in the run and was loving it on the line.”

Cunningham was justifiably proud of her stable star, who has now banked more than 21 times his purchase price.

“That is so exciting,” Cunningham said. “I’m just overwhelmed really, although he really deserves it. 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!”

Vendor	White Robe Lodge
Purchaser	Mrs SJ Cunningham (Canterbury)
Breeding	Ghibellines – Flight Arrival
Sale	Lot 6, 2019 South Island Sale, $22,500
Breeder	Mrs K T & W K Stewart
Owner	S A & Mrs S J Cunningham, Miss G J McClintock, Ms H & T P Parish