Peter Snowden and the Darley operation claimed the feature three-year-old double at Warwick Farm when Blackball stormed home to win the Up And Coming Stakes.Blackball's first-up win came just two races after the Snowden-trained Parables jumped out of the ground to score in the Silver Shadow Stakes."It's good to see them all kick off well, it gives you a bit of confidence going towards the spring," Snowden said.Blackball's first-up victory was the reward for patience, according to Snowden, as the

Peter Snowden and the Darley operation claimed the feature three-year-old double at Warwick Farm when Blackball stormed home to win the Up And Coming Stakes.

Blackball's first-up win came just two races after the Snowden-trained Parables jumped out of the ground to score in the Silver Shadow Stakes.

"It's good to see them all kick off well, it gives you a bit of confidence going towards the spring," Snowden said.

Blackball's first-up victory was the reward for patience, according to Snowden, as the colt wasn't overtaxed as a two-year-old with just four starts.

Darley considered paying a $150,000 late entry fee to run him in the Golden Slipper after his second in the Pago Pago Stakes but decided against it.

The colt was forced to make a long run out wide in Saturday's Group Three Up And Coming and was the widest runner into the straight in the 1200m event.

But under the riding of Tye Angland the son of Canny Lad powered home to gather in Queenslander Buffering by a half-neck with maiden galloper Sea Lord 1-1/4 lengths away in third.

"We looked after this bloke, he only had a short preparation (as a two-year-old) and showed glimpses of ability," Snowden said.

"He's furnished since then and he's been working very well in the past four or five weeks which just showed to me that he's come on from his two-year-old time.

"He showed that today with what he's done."

Buffering would have lost no admirers in defeat, turning in a mighty effort when sitting on the speed after jumping from the outside barrier.

Danny Nikolic sent Buffering forward to be outside the leader and he fought on gamely in the straight, holding all but one of his rivals at bay.

"I'm delighted, we've been beaten a head by the Darley operation," Buffering's trainer Robert Heathcote said.

"We've done the travelling, we've come up with the outside barrier, they threw everything at us and we nearly repelled them all."

Snowden said Blackball would progress to the Listed Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) on September 4 while Heathcote will run Buffering again in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1200m) a week later.

Nikolic suggested a set of blinkers would help Buffering in his next start.

"If he goes straight I reckon he would have won the race for sure today," Nikolic said.

David Payne said he would talk with Sea Lord's owners before deciding where to go next with the talented colt, who finishing third at just his second race start.

"He should improve on that again and he was racing horses that have been around a while longer than him," Payne said.