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After losing a bit of steam in the month of May, apprentice jockey Noh Senari will be hoping he is back on the upswing after he brought up a riding double over the weekend.
The Singaporean rookie has seen his lead in this year’s apprentice jockey’s premiership whittled down to only a win over last year’s champion A’Isisuhairi Kasim, who even drew level when he won aboard Cogito Ergo Sum on Friday.
But Noh mustered a timely response when he booted home King Cross in the penultimate event on the same night, snapping a long run of outs that stretched back to Naruto on April 13, to hold that one-win margin.
That win on the Mohd Yusof-trained galloper must have inspired the young man, who two days later revisited the winner’s circle courtesy of an armchair ride on Arrowhead in the $38,000 Ghozi 2010 Stakes, a Kranji Stakes D race over 1200m (A’Isisuhairi later pulled one back with Flight Ofthe Saker to keep the title fight a close contest this year).
Taking up the running, Arrowhead ($59) was well rated by Noh, who bided his time until the home turn before slamming his foot on the accelerator. A laborious last-start winner in Maiden company, Arrowhead showed a much more devastating turn of foot this time, clearing out for a comprehensive 4 ½-length win from Pacino (Rueven Ravindra) with American Vision (Pregasam Dellorto) third another neck away.
The winning time was 1min 10.85secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
Noh, who had not saluted for his master Michael Freedman since Super Voice on March 16, was delighted with the way things are picking up again since hitting a flat spot which he partly put down to some health issues.
“I’m not a natural lightweight and I think the hard work took its toll on me. I had low blood pressure for a while and even had to go to hospital, but I’m okay now,” said Noh.
“It’s good to ride a winner for the boss again. I rode this horse in his gallop last Wednesday and he had really improved.
“Before the race, we thought Fiscal Wings and Power Angel would go forward and I would sit behind those two, but my horse improved and we soon found ourselves in front instead.
“I just rode him like Danny Beasley rode him the last time. In the straight, when I asked him to go, he gave a very powerful kick for a very easy win.”
Freedman concurred with Noh that Arrowhead, a horse connections had high hopes for when purchased from New Zealand, has finally hit his straps.
“He’s a much improved horse. We had a nice opinion of him back in New Zealand and I did tell Mr Teo Ah Khing (owner) he is one of these horses who just takes a little longer to acclimatise.
“Last year on Gold Cup day, he hit a soft track and he’s run on Polytrack since until today. He’s a lot happier in his surroundings now. Where to from here, I’m not sure, but we’ll have to look at the programme.”
While Arrowhead has always been overshadowed by the other two China Horse Club Stable’s leading lights, Singapore Gold Cup winner Tropaios and top three-year-old Rite Of Spring, Freedman had less rejoicing news regarding the latter.
“He’s gone for a long spell. He’s got degenerative arthritis which is always hard to manage,” said the Australian handler.
“But Mr Teo has sent me a few nice new horses, including a couple of two-year-olds and a few from Europe. The future is looking bright for them.”