Noah Khan is all class at barrier trials in Kuala Lumpur

At his last start in Ipoh on Nov 16, racegoers rightly packed Noah Khan off as the $11 top pick.

Understandably so, as, with seven wins to show, the Swiss Ace seven-year-old is among the elite in Malaysian racing.

However, he went flat, and finished sixth to Secret Wonder. His rider Aify Yahaya later reported to the racing stewards that his mount showed a dislike for the soft going.

It was a legitimate claim. As he showed at the Kuala Lumpur trials on the morning of Jan 6, give him a good track and he will do the rest.

Noah Khan ran up to expectations. He took the trial by a length and, suited to the underfoot conditions, he ran the 1,000m trip in a nice time of 1min 0.75sec.

So, do not be put off by Noah Khan’s last-start failure. The wet track was, obviously, his undoing.

Right from the get-go at his recent trial, the result was never going to be in doubt.

With his high rating of 87 as opposed to the 40s and 50s of his rivals, it was like pitting Usain Bolt against a bunch of weekend joggers.

It was going to be no contest and that was exactly what happened.

Noah Khan and Qi Fu Fortune had the trial all to themselves. They traded blows up front with Noah Khan calling the shots – narrowly.

Down to the furlong marker they went where Noah Khan pulled out the stops. In a flash, he broke clear to take the honours by a length.

Noah Khan may be getting on, but he still races like a frisky youngster. Wait for the day trainer Siva Kumar decides it is time for his next assignment.

It will, no doubt, be in a high-class race and if Noah Khan brings that trial form to the contest, he could be looking at an eighth career win.

While Noah Khan impressed, the same could be said for Qi Fu Fortune.

A newcomer to Malaysian racing, he could – on his overseas record – be anything he wants to be when trainer Winson Cheng Han Yong does send him to the races.

Back in Queensland where he had two race starts before being flown out to join Cheng’s yard, Qi Fu Fortune had already begun to pay for his keep.

Racing then as Addicted To Julia, he won on debut, taking out an 1,100m sprint at Toowoomba.

He had his second and last Australian start at Warwick on Jan 25 when he was narrowly beaten over the 1,200m.

Qi Fu Fortune seems to have what it takes to win races and, from his display at the trials, it could be a good idea to scribble his name into that notebook of yours.

Another one to keep an eye out for is a David Kok-trained four-year-old who is yet to be named.

By Saxon Warrior, he was having barrier practice and with Oscar Chavez doing the navigating, he led from barrier to box.

Involved in a tight three-horse finish, he eventually took the honours, beating the Nick Selvan-trained Mirage Pegasus (Aify) by a head with Smashed Avo (Andre da Silva), a newcomer from Sharee Hamilton’s yard, filling in third slot a neck away.

Racing as Giddy Up Warrior in Australia, he raced 13 times for one win in a three-year-old Maiden race at Sandown Hillside in Victoria on Sept 4, 2024. Following that, he placed second on four occasions.

Most of his races were over the middle distance of 1,600m or thereabouts.

It is therefore rather clear he knows a thing or two about getting home ahead of the rest.

So, for now, it is worth committing that record to memory as well as his lineage. From what he showed at his first official hit-out on Malaysian turf, he could have a future in Kok’s barn.

The Singapore Gold Cup-winning trainer, who came away with a winner and a second at the just-concluded races, closed off the morning with another winner in Pacific Scout.

The Deep Field six-year-old came from off the pace to collar his rivals in the run to the line.

He eventually beat Dragon Whisperer by two lengths – easing up on the sand track.

Pacific Scout’s last win was almost a year ago, in a Class 5A race over 1,020m in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 2. It was his third success and the trial could be a part of a plot by Kok to post that fourth win.

brian@sph.com.sg