Nieshan's tactical speed gives him the edge over archrival Seraphin Du Paon

Dubai: Nieshan is primed to avenge his half-a-length loss to Seraphin Du Paon as the Eric Lemartinel-trained runner has been spot on in his run-up to the Purebred Arabian feature on the big night.

Nieshan, a six-year-old son of Akbar, thrived this season and completed a winning hat-trick when he won the prep race, the Group 1 Maktoum Challenge Round Three on Super Saturday.

Since most of the runners from that race will be back in action today with the addition of three big guns from Qatar including the American champion TM Fred Texas, everything points to Nieshan winning again.

The French trainer, who has won the Kahayla previously with Mizzna, the daughter of the great Alanudd, saw his runner get the better of Seraphin Du Paon both on the turf in Abu Dhabi in the Group 1 President's Cup as well as on the tapeta at Meydan confirming his liking to the surface.

Nieshan also has great tactical speed and Gerald Avranche will have plenty of options.

Seraphin Du Paon, a lightly raced six-year-old has won five of his ten starts but only one of those was on the all-weather in last year's Kahayla and four of them coming on turf.

The Al Asayl trainer Ernst Oertel has had a great debut season saddling 16 winners for the season and apart from Seraphin Du Paon also saddles the 2009 Kahayla winner Fryvolous.

Also a progressive type, Sahib Du Clos has had a good season on the tapeta winning three Group 1 races including one leg of the Maktoum Challenge. Saifaldin Deeb is an experienced handler of Arabians and the six year-old will be seen to have an advantage if the track is playing to strength as Sahib Du Clos is a strong finisher.

Versac PY, another progressive runner from Erwan Charpy's yard, could give a fairytale end to the veteran Richard Hills, who has won this race four times.

With owner Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, being a keen supporter and promoter of Purebred Arabian racing, it would be a fitting if his chosen jockey Richard Hills was to bow out a winner aboard an Arabian.

TM Fred Texas has only had light preparation, with one start over seven furlongs, so the extra three must be a concern. Timadit Al Mels, however, will run the distance strongly, but has just one win.

Peter Ellis is an international form analyst based in Melbourne.