Noble Boy confirmed his rating as a future topliner with an Eagle Farm win on Saturday but trainer Todd Blowes is resigned to missing the Group One Stradbroke Handicap in a fortnight.
After being held up for a run in the straight Noble Boy ($1.65) was far too strong beating Egyptian Bullet ($16) by 2-1/4 lengths in the Kirin Handicap (1200m).
Noble Boy is entered for the G1 Stradbroke Handicap on June 8 but Blowes thinks he will struggle to make the field unless his rating gets a massive hike from the Eagle Farm win.
“We’ll get a better idea of where we sit in order of entry for the Stradbroke when weights come out next week,” Blowes said.
“But we have another option with the Listed Hinkler Stakes at Eagle Farm on the same day.”
“The idea was to come up here for some experience and win a couple of races.”
Queanbeyan-based Blowes believes Noble Boy is the best horse he has trained and he is keen to manage his career carefully.
Noble Boy has now won seven of his eight starts and can expect to have a hike on his current rating of 88 after Saturday’s win.
