BANKABLE WINS AL FAHIDI FORT THRILLER FOR HERMAN BROWN

Click above to watch the Al Fahidi Fort Gr2
(Footage/Image : ERA/Tellytrack)

AL FAHIDI FORT (GROUP 2)
MEYDAN 19 FEBRUARY 2010

Trainers Herman Brown and Mike de Kock maintained South Africa’s dominance in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort at Meydan Friday night with just a nose separating Bankable and Imbongi in a thrilling finish to the 1600m feature.

A photo verdict gave victory to Bankable, trained by Herman Brown, who just prevailed under Ryan Moore over Summerhill-bred Imbongi, with the locally-trained Ibn Battuta a close third.

Herman Brown was among those less than convinced that Bankable had prevailed before the release of the official verdict and said: “That was a good performance and I was not confident awaiting the photo to be called – we thought we had been beaten. We will probably wait for the Dubai Duty Free now as he (Bankable) is a horse who is best kept fresh.”

RESULTS

#	Horse	Margin	Gate	Kg	OR	Jockey	Trainer
1	BANKABLE (IRE)	0.00	3	56.0	115	R Moore	Herman Brown
2	IMBONGI (SAF)	SH	11	57.0	115	C Soumillon	Mike de Kock
3	IBN BATTUTA (USA)	HD	5	56.0	105	W Smith	Musabah Al Muhairi
4	TAM LIN (GB)	3	10	56.0	110	W Supple	Mubarak bin Shafya
5	FAVASHI (AUS)	NS	8	57.0	112	T Durcan	Saeed bin Suroor
6	JUSTENUFFHUMOR (USA)	1	1	57.5	120	L Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor
7	PREMIO LOCO (USA)	1.75	7	57.5	116	G Baker	Chris Wall
8	IBN KHALDUN (USA)	0.25	4	56.0	113	A Ajtebi	Saeed bin Suroor
9	DEBUSSY (IRE)	3	6	57.5	113	W Buick	John Gosden
10	DUNELIGHT (IRE)	1.5	9	56.0	109	K Fallon	Clive Cox

SOUTH AFRICANS BID FOR SIXTH AL FAHIDI FORT

$250,000 AL FAHIDI FORT (GROUP 2)
MEYDAN 19 FEBRUARY 2010

South Africa has a great record in tonight’s feature on the sixth card of the 2010 Dubai International Racing Carnival at Meydan, the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort sponsored by the Commercial Bank of Dubai over 1600m, with both Mike De Kock and Herman Brown seeking to win the race they have dominated between them – sharing five victories since 2003.

Brown scored twice with Linngari and this year Ryan Moore has elected to ride Bankable over Bronze Cannon (non runner). Moore said: “He is a very nice horse and seems in good form. It is a strong renewal of this race but I expect him to run well.”

Mike de Kock, seeking a fourth victory, saddles Imbongi who was fifth last year but ran well in the UK over the summer and made a very pleasing return over 1400m on Tapeta. Christophe Soumillon rides Imbongi and De Kock said : “Godolphin look to have a very strong hand and run Group 1 horses in the race. We were delighted with Imbong’s first run back and he is in good form at home. Godolphin will be hard to beat but he should run a good race.”

Godolphin are well also represented and Frankie Dettori takes the ride on Justenuffhumor who was last seen running a close third at the Breeders’ Cup for Kiaran McLaughlin.

Ahmed Ajtebi partners 2007 Group One Racing Post Trophy winner Ibn Khaldun with Ted Durcan on Fravashi to complete a strong trio for trainer Saeed Bin Suroor who said: “Ibn Khaldun will probably need the run more than the other pair, while those two are having their first start for us. Fravashi has useful form in Australia and Justenuffhumor’s American run is very good form.

“All three have been going well at home and we have to be hopeful of at least going close.”

Catch the Al Fahidi Fort on Tellytrack DSTV 232 at 8pm (SA time) tonight.

Although the Al Fahidi Fort is the feature, the preceding 1600m conditions race on Tapeta, the CBD Worldmaster Card, will attract a similar level of interest with Mike de Kock choosing this race as the one in which he will unleash Group One winner Eagle Mountain.

He only ran twice last year but is reported in good order by the handler: “I think he is as fit as we can get him and this race looks ideal to test him on the surface. If we want to run him in the Dubai World Cup he needs to show us he can race on Tapeta.”

It is a warm little race with Consul General, third in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round One, Brian Meehan’s Cat Junior and Godolphin’s West Side Bernie among a host of dangers.

Catch the CBD Worldmaster on Tellytrack DSTV 232 at 7:25pm (SA time) tonight.

AL FAHIDI FORT FIELD
TURF 1600m

#	Horse	Kg	OR	Jockey	Trainer
1	JUSTENUFFHUMOR (USA)	57.5	120	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor
2	BRONZE CANNON (USA)	57.5	119	Keagan Latham	Herman Brown
3	BANKABLE (IRE)	56.0	115	Ryan Moore	Herman Brown
4	IBN KHALDUN (USA)	56.0	113	Ahmed Ajtebi	Saeed bin Suroor
5	IBN BATTUTA (USA)	56.0	105	Wayne Smith	Musabah Al Muhairi
6	DEBUSSY (IRE)	57.5	113	William Buick	John Gosden
7	PREMIO LOCO (USA)	57.5	116	George Baker	Chris Wall
8	FRAVASHI (AUS)	57.5	112	Ted Durcan	Saeed bin Suroor
9	DUNELIGHT (IRE)	56.0	109	Kieren Fallon	Clive Cox
10	TAM LIN (GB)	56.0	110	William Supple	Mubarak bin Shafya
11	IMBONGI (SAF)	57.0	115	Christophe Soumillon	Mike de Kock

MIKE DE KOCK gives his views on Dubai runners

Terry Spargo and Mike de Kock (Andrew Watkins)Mike de Kock had a relatively quiet “Super Thursday’’ meeting last week by the standards he had set during the rest of the 2008 Dubai Carnival, but he is looking forward to World Cup night, 29 March.

De Kock, who is back in South Africa for a few days, commented: “Super Thursday is the strongest meeting in Dubai barring the World Cup meeting and although I was disappointed in Asiatic Boy’s run, my other runners performed well.

“Asiatic Boy seemed a bit flat on the night, but he will be in top shape for the World Cup and there is nothing to be concerned about.

“Royal Vintage and Honour Devil fought out the finish of the Al Bastakiya and in the UAE Derby, at level weights, they will be better off than all their rivals.

“Oracle West finished a game third in the Dubai City of Gold, he will line up with Sun Classique in the Sheema Classic. Their preparation is spot-on, both are very well.

“Lucky Find will probably improve a length or two after finishing third in the third round of the Maktoum Challenge and we’ll be leaving him in the World Cup with Asiatic Boy. He will be up against it, we’ll be hoping for a place.’’

Divine Jury is also considered to have performed below best when third in the Zabeel Mile, but is reported to be in good condition en route to the Godolphin Mile.

Archipenko has raced twice in Dubai for an impressive win in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort and De Kock said: “He is a very good horse and will represent us in the Dubai Duty Free.’’

Extract from Mike de Kock Racing.com 

ARCHIPENKO : Mike de Kock equals his Carnival record in the Al Fahidi Fort

Archipenko, Kevin Shea and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
                                                                            (Andrew Watkins)

Archipenko announced himself as a live chance for the Dubai Duty Free after Mike de Kock landed his third Al Fahidi Fort, the feature race at the Commercial Bank of Dubai-sponsored card at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday night.

The four-year-old, who boasted Group 2-winning form for his former trainer Aidan O’Brien, now runs in the Asiatic Boy colours of HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

The winner flashed home on the outside to see off Royal Oath and Lord Admiral, with the disappointment of the race Linngari - who was seeking a hat-trick of wins in this Group 2 contest - back in fourth after running a “flat” race according to Ryan Moore.

Mike de Kock said: “He’s improved significantly from his first run but it was hard to be confident when you’re facing a horse like Linngari.

“But he could run a really big race in the Dubai Duty Free, and there’s plenty more improvement to come from him”, which bodes well for a team which has already equalled its previous record number of wins at the Carnival, where they’ve posted three Trainer’s Championships.

The South African maestro, along with Saeed bin Suroor, has dominated at Nad Al Sheba this year, and was savouring his 10th winner of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival.

Extract from Dubai Racing Club

MIKE DE KOCK's Dubai Team one short of yard's best tally

Sun Classique (Andrew Watkins)With nine Carnival winners on the board already, just one short of the yard’s best tally, the Mike De Kock Dubai team must have every chance of bettering that number this weekend which is the season’s second and final double header.

Thursday’s feature race is the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort, over a mile on turf and a race won by Mike De Kock in 2003 with Ipi Tombe and 2005 with Yard-Arm. This year Archipenko is the sole representative after Admiralofthefleet was ruled out. Kevin Shea takes the ride and De Kock said: “He has improved a lot for his run and will appreciate this step up in trip but Linngari is obviously the one to beat.”

Express Way (Johnny Murtagh) and Brave Tin Soldier (Kevin Shea) both contest a six-furlong turf handicap which looks ultra competitive. Shea’s mount is having his first start for the yard and Murtagh’s has been off for a year. Both would prefer further but Asiatic Boy and Sun Classique have already won over trips short of their best this season for the yard. However, De Kock expects both to ‘improve for the run’.

Friday’s feature is the Listed Balanchine Stakes for fillies and mares over 1777m and Sun Classique is very much the one to beat after her win in the Cape Verdi a fortnight ago. That mile trip is on the short side and this Group 1 winner will relish the extra trip and beat most of her rivals last time.

No horse has won both races, yet, but De Kock has won this race with both Irridescence and Moon Dazzle in the past and expects a big show: “She has a touch of class and surprised us the way she won last time. This is more her trip and she has come on for the run so we expect a bold show.”

African Appeal looked exceptionally unlucky on his local debut in a 1500 handicap a fortnight ago and will not be far away in the 1777m handicap on turf under Murtagh. A Group 1 winner in South Africa, this trip looks ideal and he looks the one to beat. De Kock offers a note of caution though: “He is still improving fitness wise and this should put him spot on. He is in good shape and will go close.”

Extract by Peter Ward from Mike de Kock Racing