Mike de Kock has said that star South African import Noah From Goa can be more than a match for Ahmad bin Harmash’s Championship in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan on Thursday night.
Noah From Goa, a Guineas winner in his homeland, ran a huge race when four and a quarter lengths adrift of Championship in the Al Fahidi Fort over 1,400 metres last month.
It was the four-year-old’s first start for over a year, following the tough quarantine journey De Kock’s horses have to endure from South Africa via Mauritius and England to Dubai.
De Kock also runs Light The Lights, who turned over Championship over 1,800m in the Singspiel Stakes before losing out to Godolphin’s Promising Run in the Al Rashidiya. The five-year-old will be ridden for the first time by Bernard Fayd’Herbe in the 1,600m contest.
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De Kock clearly has high hopes that Noah From Goa, who will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon, can at least make up the ground on the previous meeting with Championship.
“I think Championship if the horse to beat,” De Kock said.
“Noah From Goa has done everything right, it’s his second run back and he’s got 4.25 lengths to find with Championship on their encounter.
“I said after that race that Noa would improve by the distance he was beaten and I’ll stick to that. But he has made the desired progress to get significantly closer this time.”
Championship has become one of those horses who has improved throughout the UAE season and has been a flagship horse for Al Aasfa Stables.
The six-year-old gelding posted a career-best effort in the Al Fahidi Fort, but everything went right for him in front from his draw on the rail. Thursday night’s rivals Flash Fire, who was second, and Noa From Goa, who was third, had to race wide and subsequently covered much more ground. As a result, Championship has to carry a 1.5 kilograms penalty.
Bin Harmash, a former assistant to Mubarak bin Shafya, needs one more win this season to take him to 15 successes — his best campaign so far since he took over in 2013.
Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed’s horse is Bin Harmash’s only runner on the night.
“He is in very good form and we are really looking forward to running him again,” Bin Harmash said. “Obviously he has a penalty but conditions will suit him and we expect a big run.”
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