Trainer Robert Smerdon believes Noble Protector can break drought in Doomben Cup

AHEAD of the Doomben Cup, trainer Robert Smerdon says Noble Protector is ‘somewhere near’ the form that made her one of Australia’s most exciting horses last year.

Noble Protector could break a winning drought in Saturday’s Doomben Cup.

ROBERT Smerdon has assessed Noble Protector “somewhere near” the form that had her touted as one of the most exciting horses in the country last year as she attempts her raid on Saturday’s Doomben Cup.

In March last year, Noble Protector won a Group 3 at Flemington and Group 2 at Moonee Valley in performances that had her touted as a sure fire Group 1 winner in Australia. Some even spoke of her as a Cox Plate candidate.

Based on Weight-For-Age performance ratings compiled by highly respected analyst Daniel O’Sullivan of The Ratings Bureau, both of those ratings represent a superior level of performance to anything notched by Saturday’s Doomben Cup rivals in recent times.

Noble Protector could break a winning drought in Saturday’s Doomben Cup.

But then the wheels fell off and Noble Protector hasn’t won since.

“That autumn form she was low flying,” Smerdon said. “She just didn’t come up in the spring. She’s come back this time and seems good, she’s run second and third in the races she won last year, so she seems to be somewhere near that (level). Maybe not quite, but somewhere near that.”

Smerdon stopped short of calling Noble Protector frustrating and said he viewed the Doomben Cup as “an opportunity” before the imported mare likely retires to stud this year.

“She’s had two Group 1 placings, but that’s the game I suppose. It’s never easy,” he said.

“After she ran at Moonee Valley, we were always looking beyond Sydney to go (to this race).

“She’s a stakes winner over 2400m at Newmarket in England and it does look as if the trip is what she’s looking for now and she goes good right handed.”

Noble Protector trialled behind Cup rival Our Ivanhowe at Cranbourne last Monday. Smerdon said she had “something in hand” and that he “preferred our performance on the day.”

Noble Protector arrived in Brisbane last Thursday with Charmed Harmony and was able to work on the Doomben course proper on Tuesday morning.

The Cup presents an opportunity for several horses to break long standing droughts. Four of the top six in betting are 420 days or longer between wins, with Noble Protector joined by favourite Hauraki, her trial conqueror Our Ivanhowe and another import in Spiritjim on the run of outs list.

Our Ivanhowe is the best backed runner this week with both Sportsbet and tab.com.au, who reported more than 50 per cent of their hold was for the Freedman trained runner so far.

Smerdon also has Dulverton in Saturday’s Doomben Roses as she heads to the Queensland Oaks, while he is resigned to Zafiti running at the Gold Coast in the hope of boosting her chances of making the Oaks field.

Stablemate Under The Louvre will travel to Brisbane to contest the Stradbroke after he runs in Saturday’s Goodwood at Morphettville.

Originally published as Trainer Robert Smerdon believes Noble Protector can break drought in Doomben Cup