Trackwatchers' hopes of a juicy debut price about unraced Danehill gelding Noble Conqueror evaporated without trace at Happy Valley yesterday when the International Sale graduate breezed past Hong Kong Sprint winner Natural Blitz in a barrier trial.
The Caspar Fownes-trained Noble Conqueror followed Natural Blitz (rating 122) throughout the 1,200 metres trial, challenged the Group One winner at the 200m and then drew away to score by 21/4 lengths.
Although Robbie Fradd didn't ask Natural Blitz any serious question in the final stages, the five-year-old is a natural free runner and maintains a fast gallop whenever he steps out in trackwork, trials or races.
So for an unraced youngster to stalk the international-day winner, and then go straight by him - even though he was ridden out by Gerald Mosse - speaks volumes for the gelding's raw ability. His winning time of 1:13.0 was a full two seconds faster than the time recorded by Simply The Best in the other 1,200m heat.
Owner Patrick Leong Ting-cheong gave $2 million for Noble Conqueror at the Hong Kong International Sale in December. The gelding was a three-year-old, while most of his sale contemporaries were juveniles, so it would appear he had some kind of setback that prevented his participation in the 2004 sale.
However, the upside was that the extra 12 months he had to mature in the southern hemisphere has probably done him the world of good. And on the evidence of yesterday's trial win, he's ready to go right on with the job.