SOFT FALLING RAIN DEBUTS IN UAE 2000 GUINEAS TRIAL

Click above to watch Soft Falling Rain winning the SA Nursery (Grade 1)
(Image : Sporting Post - Footage : Racing International)

UAE 2000 GUINEAS TRIAL
Meydan, All Weather, 1400m
17 January 2013

There are questions to be answered at Thursday night’s second Carnival meeting at Meydan in Dubai - and most of them pertain to highly regarded three-year-old Soft Falling Rain (Paul Hanagan), who makes his desert debut in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial over 1400m on the All Weather track.

Unbeaten in four South Affrican starts, including the Gr1 SA Nursery, Sheikh Hamdan’s colt already has a firm following and his international pipe-opener is eagerly awaited.

Mike de Kock commented Thursday morning after track work at the course: “There are more questions than answers about Soft Falling Rain. Will he go on the surface? Will he perform over 1400m and will he be able to give weight and a beating to his rivals?”

Under 62kg this will be no easy task and Mike added: “Soft Falling Rain is looking really well and on pedigree he should see it out, but only the race will show.”

The stable’s second Guineas Trial runner, El Estruendoso (Christophe Soumillon), a 1400m winner on his South African debut, should go on the surface and Mike said: “If he repeats his work at home he will be a big runner tonight.”

Zahee (Johnny Gerroudis) completes a three-pronged challenge in this race. A three-time winner from five outings, he was shipped to Dubai from Australia to race for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and is likely to need the run.

Geroudis also rides six-year-old grey Jardim in Race 1 over 1600m. He is being prepared for the Jebel Ali Mile and Mike said he’d be better off for this run, after a lay-off.

Anaerobio stayed on well to take third in a 1400m race last week. He’s in a 2000m race on turf tonight and Pat Cosgrave retains the ride. “He won over this distance earlier in his career, but what you see is what you get. He hasn’t won for a long time and needs to get lucky,” Mike said.

Final Button flopped last week when more was expected and Mike said: “We’re trying 1200m with him tonight, it’s too short for him but we’re hoping it will bring him to a peak.”

Extract from Mike de Kock Racing

DE KOCK RUNNERS PRIMED FOR DUBAI CARNIVAL KICK OFF

Final Button (SAF) is expected to have a good run on the all-weather track
(Photo : Gold CIrcle)

DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL
10 January 2013

The 2013 Dubai International Racing Carnival kicks off with an eight-race programme at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday evening.

Champion South African trainer Mike de Kock, who celebrates his 10^th season in the UAE this year, is well represented with six runners on the night. When interviewed on Wednesday morning he was upbeat and confident that his first group of runners would perform well.

Mike commented: “Barring one or two horses, my string has had an opportunity to build up slower and steadier than in the last few seasons. Tomorrow night’s runners will all improve for their outings. Things are a bit up in the air, we don’t know how fit our competitors are so it’s not easy to predict what will happen, but I’m happy that our first runners are more or less where I want them to be at the start of the season.”

Four-year-old Final Button (Pat Cosgrave) will be first out for the De Kock stable in Race 2, a handicap over 1400m on the all-weather track.

“Final Button has been working extremely well on the all-weather surface,” Mike said about the former Cape-based runner who finished on the heels of champion miler Variety Club in the Gr3 Winter Guineas at Kenilworth last April. “I think the 1400m will suit Final Button well, he looks a smart sort and if he reproduces his track work I fancy he’ll be right there at the finish,” Mike said.

Last season’s classic contender, Mushreq, is a horse with much potential. He’ll be making his Carnival debut in Race 4, a Handicap over 1900m on the all-weather in the hands of Sheikh Hamdan’s contracted rider, Paul Hanagan.

Mike assessed: “Mushreq’s another horse who’s been showing very good work on this surface. He’s about as fit as we could get him for this race, he will come on as the weeks go by, but we’re keen to see how he goes here, he’s doing well.”

Five-year-old Rerouted (Christophe  Soumillon), placed twice during last year’s Carnival, will take his place in the evening’s topliner, the $US125,000 Al Rashidiya Trial over 800m on turf.

“Rerouted should give a good account of himself,” Mike said. “He has matured and he is sounder and stronger than last year so we’re expecting him to show.”

Disa Leader (Johnny Geroudis), Amanee (Soumillon) and Anaerobio (Cosgrave) will come under starters orders in Race 8, a handicap over 1400m on turf.

Jockey arrangements suggest that Amanee is the stable’s choice, but Mike felt this race was particularly hard to call. He said: “Amanee prefers slightly further, we’re preparing her for a Fillies Mile in a fortnight and she’s short of her best, though doing well. Disa Leader had a rushed preparation last year and despite that still placed twice in higher handicaps. He’s settled well now and I believe he’s a horse that will get better and better as the Carnival progresses. He’ll need the run, but he’s one we hope to see winning at some stage during this term. Anaerobio flattered only to deceive, last season. He showed flashes of his true ability but let us down a few times. He’s capable and fairly fit, but will need a lot going for him to win this race.”

CHOCOLICIOUS TOO SWEET IN GRADE 1 ALLAN ROBERTSON

Click above to watch Chocolicious winning the Allan Robertson Championship (Gr1)
(Photo : Gold Circle - Footage : Tellytrack)

ALLAN ROBERTSON CHAMPIONSHIP (Grade 1)
Scottsville, Turf, 1200m
29 May 2010

Charl Pretorius www.racingweb.co.zaChocolicious, a 50-1 chance from the Herman Brown stable, fought an exciting battle with Louis Goosen’s Waywest Goddess (15-2), before getting the upper hand late in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

The pair went head to head over the last 200m with replacement jockey Johnny Geroudis on Chocolicious and Piere Strydom on Waywest Goddess flat to the boards for first prize. Chocolicious found a little extra and claimed victory close to the line.

Chocolicious, beaten three lengths by Romantic Moon in her previous start, turned the tables to the tune of eight lengths on her conqueror and assistant trainer Frank Robinson commented: “She was just a bit underdone that day and we were more confident today.”

Chocolicious and Waywest Goddess came together in the heat of the contest and then the Herman Brown filly appeared to carry Waywest Goddess off a straight course, but no action was taken by the stipendiary stewards.

It is doubtful whether anything would have affected the result, however, as Chocolicious won well.

Louis Goosen said: “There may have been something, the head-on suggests that they moved across the track, but it wasn’t my duty to object. Pierre didn’t mention anything after the race. He said Waywest Goddess seemed to have little left in the tank going into the last 400m, she was battling. But she picked up the bit and kept fighting on, which shows how courageous she is. Good luck to the Brown stable, it was an exciting race, we beat a filly like Mahbooba and several other top class fillies home, we are happy and we look forward to her career from here.”

Chocolocious was bred by Keith Russon and Ian Todd at Backworth Stud near Eston, KwaZulu Natal, a fine achievement and a Grade 1 winner on their roll of honour. Chocolicious is by Kahal from Candy Box and her half-brother by Miesque’s Approval fetched R275 000 at April’s Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.

CHOCOLICIOUS (Kahal x Candy Box)
2 Year Old Bay Filly
Owners : Messrs P Ebbs, MG Frost, M A Robinson and Ms L Kapustina, Messrs HJ Brown (Jnr) and NC Smith
Trainer : Herman Brown
Jockey : Johnny Geroudis
Breeder : Backworth Stud
Win Time : 69.70
Career Record : 2 Wins, 1 Place, 3 Starts

RACE RESULT

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	CHOCOLICIOUS	58.0	0	14	J Geroudis	Herman Brown
2	0.50	WAYWEST GODDESS	58.0	0	12	P Strydom	Louis Goosen
3	4.25	MAHBOOBA (AUS)	58.0	0	5	A Delpech	Mike de Kock
4	4.30	OOCHEE AGENT	58.0	0	10	S Brown	Paul Matchett
5	4.80	STORMY COAST	58.0	0	2	G Figueroa	George Scott
6	7.85	HOLLYWOODBOULEVARD (AUS)	58.0	0	6	A Marcus	Charles Laird
7	5.60	LEGAL ACCOUNT	58.0	0	3	B Fayd’Herbe	Paul Lafferty
8	6.85	ROMANTIC MOON	58.0	0	7	S Randolph	Duncan Howells
9	7.35	IBROX PARK	58.0	0	13	B Lerena	Dominic Zaki
10	8.85	MAUREEN DE LAGO (AUS)	58.0	0	9	G Schlechter	Darryl Hodgson
11	11.10	INDIGOFERA	58.0	0	1	N Welch	Corne Spies
12	11.35	SIX BLUE NOTES	58.0	0	11	D Daniels	Glen Kotzen
13	12.10	BIG ON BROADWAY (AUS)	58.0	0	8	F Coetzee	Glen Kotzen
14	18.35	POPPINS	58.0	0	4	G Lerena	Gavin van Zyl

NOBLE HEIR : SMALL... BUT LIGHTNING FAST

Noble Heir - Computaform Sprint (Grade 1)
(Photo : JC Photographics / Summerhill Stud)

NOBLE HEIR
COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1)

David ThiseltonNoble Heir, the small but lightning fast grey filly, has come a long way since the day she was laughed at by South Africa’s current Champion Jockey, Andrew Fortune. It was her first appearance at Greyville in a D Division over 1000m.

Trainer Dennis Bosch smiled yesterday as he recalled the race, “I said to Andrew in the parade ring, ‘She’s very capable. She will win as she likes.’ Then he took a look at the filly and started laughing.” Fortune recalled, “I was going down to the start and she was tiny. She had a thin little neck and was going down like this,” he said while demonstrating a short, choppy action. “I thought to myself, what is this I’m riding. But when the gates opened she flew out so quickly I nearly got left behind. I have never gone around the Greyville turn so quickly. “I had tears in my eyes from the wind. She still had her head in her chest and when I pressed the button she leant forward and found more. I got off and said wow … this is a good filly!”

Noble Heir has been taking it easy since arriving home at Clairwood after her highly successful Johannesburg campaign that culminated in her brilliant win in the R1million Computaform Sprint (Grade 1) over 1000m at Turffontein last Saturday. Bosch was unsure of her next target and said he would be discussing it with the owners. Bosch has been around the block a few times in this game, first as a heavyweight jockey who was once well clear in the National Championship before an untimely suspension and consequent weight problems, and latterly as a trainer. “There’s talk of the SA Fillies Sprint, but firstly it’s over 1200m (the shorter the better for her) and secondly it’s at Scottsville which has a reputation as a graveyard for good horses.”

“She’s also had a tough campaign and probably deserves a couple of weeks off.”

The Computaform Sprint was the second Grade 1 win of Dennis Bosch’s training career, the first being with Mighty Crystal, who won the Administrators Champion Futurity for two-year-olds over 1600m at Greyville in 1991. He recalled the day he bought Noble Heir, who is by Kahal and bred by Connington Stud, at a Clairwood Sale for a mere R50,000. “She was very well balanced. I like the Kahal’s and I knew the mother, Irish Honour, very well.” Noble Heir showed a lot from the beginning. “She had tremendous pace and finished less than a length behind On Her Toes (subsequent winner of the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship) over 1200m on debut,” he continued.

“She has matured and gets better every year. She is also lightly raced. She had a high merit rating from the start so we had to earmark every race for her very carefully.” Besides Fortune’s high praise, Johnny Geroudis once told Bosch after he had ridden Noble Heir work that it was a long time since he had ridden such an “awesome filly.” Anthony Delpech added credence after Saturday’s race, describing it as one of the easiest five furlong wins of his career.

Bosch said he had targeted the Computaform Sprint after her win in the Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur against “the boys” over 1000m at Turffontein on February 16.

She travelled up to the Vaal three weeks later for the Bauhinia Handicap and finished a 0,5 length second with top weight of 60,5kg. Bosch then asked Stuart Pettigrew to look after her at Randjesfontein until the Computaform Sprint. He is most grateful to Pettigrew and said, “I used to phone him everyday and tell him what to do and I went up to see her regularly.” A month before her win in the Computaform she finished second in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein.

Extract from Gold Circle

NOBLE HEIR RAIDS TOMMY HOTSPUR

Click above to watch Noble Heir raiding the Tommy Hotspur Handicap (Gr3)
(Footage : Tellytrack)

TOMMY HOTSPUR HANDICAP (Gr3)
TURFFONTEIN 1000m Night
16 FEBRUARY 2010

NOBLE HEIR (Kahal x Irish Honour by Kilconnel)
4 Year Old Grey Filly
Owners : Messrs S Frankin and A Hadden
Trainer : Dennis Bosch
Jockey : Johnny Geroudis
Breeder : Connington Stud
Win Time : 57.09
Career Record : 7 Wins, 8 Places, 21 Starts

RACE RESULT :

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	NOBLE HEIR	56.5	96	2	J Geroudis	Dennis Bosch
2	0.75	COOL SPENDER	53.5	90	13	P Strydom	Sean Tarry
3	1.25	SOUTH COUNTRY	60.0	103	9	G Wrogemann	Gary Alexander
4	1.50	MOROCCAN (Zim)	52.0	85	10	M Odendaal	Weiho Marwing
5	2.00	STRIKE PARADISE	58.5	100	6	G Figueroa	Dominic Zaki
6	2.50	TIRADE	52.0	85	11	A Forbes	Michael Roberts
7	2.75	OPENING NIGHT	54.5	92	7	D Habib	Clinton Binda
8	4.00	ROYAL EXIT (Zim)	56.0	95	12	M Mienie	Paul Matchett
9	6.00	CYBER CASE	59.0	101	5	A Marcus	Charles Laird
10	6.50	LIGHTNING LECTURE	59.0	101	8	G Lerena	David Nieuwenhuizen
11	10.50	BEAT PATROL	53.5	90	1	B Smith	Paul Matchett
12	19.00	LET’S ROCK ‘N ROLL (Zim)	58.5	100	3	S Brown	Paul Matchett
13	24.00	SIRIUS STAR (Aus)	54.0	91	4	D David	Gary Alexander