ROYAL VINTAGE and HONOUR DEVIL : A mixed bag for Mike de Kock at Nad Al Sheba

Royal Vintage (Andrew Watkins)Super Thursday was a mixed night for the Mike De Kock Dubai based-team with Royal Vintage heading an Al Bastakiya 1-2 with UAE 2000 Guineas winner Honour Devil chasing him home. Kevin Shea was in the saddle on the winner, a three-year-old son of Rich Man’s Gold, who was sent to the front about two furlongs out, at which point Honour Devil hung in behind briefly.

Johnny Murtagh was able to straighten his mount out though and gave valiant chase to Kevin Shea’s mount but the winning line came in time for Shea who said: “I was confident before the race and he has battled bravely. They are two nice horses.”

Mike De Kock added: “We hoped they would be first and second and they have not let us down. I could not really split them and was not surprised they finished so close together.”

The rest of the night was a bit more disappointing with World Cup aspirant Asiatic Boy only third in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar over a mile. Never far off the pace under Johnny Murtagh, he was not able to quicken in the final furlong against rivals to whom he was conceding weight and Murtagh said: “Obviously it was disappointing but the big night is three weeks away and I would rather get this defeat out of the way now than then.” Brave Tin Soldier was sixth and Drift Ice 13^th in the same race.

Oracle West was a creditable third in the Group 3 Dubai City of Gold, the 12-furlong turf feature he won in 2006 and was second in last year, while Lucky Find weakened close home in the 10-furlong Maktoum Challenge III. He was third, having led a furlong out over a trip clearly taxing his cinema.

Drayton and Frosty Secret were sixth and ninth respectively in the Group 3 six-furlong Mahab Al Shimaal, while neither Admiralofthefleet nor African Appeal were able to overcome their bad draws in the concluding Group 2 Jebel Hatta.

Extract by Peter Ward from Mike de Kock Racing.com

ANTHONY DELPECH back and winning

Art Of War (Gold Circle)Following on from his success on Saturday in the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein on the Mike De Kock trained and Summerhill bred Imbongi (Russian Revival) and on Sunday at Scottsville on another Mike De Kock trained and Summerhill bred, Art Of War (Kahal),  Anthony Delpech rode another three winners at Scottsville yesterday.

His treble began in the first when he rode the Gavin Van Zyl trained filly One Way to victory. She took the lead at the 200m mark and went on to win going away.

The third race saw him win on the Alistair Gordon trained Time To Reflect who took the lead at the 200m mark but had his work cut out to hold on in the end.

His treble was completed in the sixth race when he had to work hard to keep the Ron Phillips trained Cormorant Pass in front as he was strongly challenged by both Sea Raider and Call For Candy.

Extract from SA Horeseracing.com 

SUPER THURSDAY : Asiatic Boy in final preparations for Dubai World Cup

Asiatic Boy (Andrew Watkins) Super Thursday, popularly regarded as the dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup meeting, is an exciting night for the Dubai-based Mike de Kock string. He saddles 13 runners, with realistic chances in at least four of the seven thoroughbred races on the night.

World Cup aspirant Asiatic Boy (Johnny Murtagh), undefeated at Nad Al Sheba and the only horse to have won the UAE Triple Crown, will be a warm favourite in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar over 1600m in which the opposition include the last two winners, Boston Lodge and Marbush.

Using this mile contest as his final stepping stone to the World Cup, Mike De Kock is confident of a big run: “He is in great form and is a real professional. He loves Nad Al Sheba and the dirt track and knows where the winning post is. Being a big striding horse he tends to race prominently. He will run a big race and be hard to beat. This mile is the ideal prep for the 2000m World Cup.” Drift Ice and Brave Tin Soldier contest the same race but all eyes will be on Asiatic Boy.

Johnny Murtagh is also in the saddle on Honour Devil, like Asiatic Boy owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and who won the UAE 2000 Guineas last time. He will make a bold bid to emulate Asiatic Boy in the Listed Al Bastakiya, over 1800m and, like in the Guineas, stable companion Royal Vintage looks his biggest danger under Kevin Shea.

De Kock concurs: “I really can’t split them as Honour Devil is slightly better at the weights but Royal Vintage will definitely appreciate the extra furlong. We will certainly be hoping to win the race!”

The night’s official feature is the Group 2 Maktoum Challenge III over the same 2000m course and distance as the Dubai World Cup. Round II winner, Lucky Find, represents the yard and having proved a revelation on the dirt will be hard to beat under Kevin Shea according to the trainer: “He is in great form and has form over further at home. That was on turf but he should stay tonight. We will then decide between the World Cup and Godolphin Mile.”

The Mahab Al Shimaal, a Group 3 dirt sprint over 1200m, looks wide open and Shea on Frosty Secret looks well drawn near the stand rail, while Drayton also represents the team. “Frosty Secret should go well from his draw and is a definite contender,” said De Kock.

Oracle West won the Group 3 Dubai City of Gold in 2006 and meets Quijano, whom he chased home last year, in this year’s renewal. With a win under his belt he could reverse the form with the German horse, but faces a serious rival in John Ox’s Marilyn.

“It is over three weeks until the big night but he (Oracle West) has a win under his belt already. He is in good shape and will run well.”

Admiralofthefleet and African Appeal have bad draws in the Group 2 Jebel Hatta but are entitled to go close granted luck, while Ablaan seeks a third course and distance win in a 1200m conditions race on the dirt.

Extract by Peter Ward from Mike de Kock Racing

IMBONGI - Mike de Kock's perspective

The winning connections of ImbongiMike de Kock attributed Imbongi’s win in Saturday’s Grade 2 R375 000 Gauteng Guineas to the three-year-old being gelded and said: “His form has always been good, but he was a little hot so we gelded him and it clearly made a difference.”

Imbongi (Anthony Delpech up) swooped down on Kilcoy Castle and Rudra going into the last 150m and won going away. Kilcoy Castle finished second ahead of Horatio and another Mike de Kock runner Rudra.

“We might go for the Classic next, although the 1800m is probably his optimum trip,” said De Kock of Imbongi, who was bred at Mick Goss’ Summerhill Stud.

He added: “I am glad that Anthony Delpech got off to a good start so soon after his return to South Africa.”

Imbongi, by Russian Revival from Garden Verse, is owned in partnership by Summerhill Stud, Ronnie Napier, Barry Clements, Owen Leibrandt and Mike Fleischer.

Extract from mikedekockracing.com 

VUMA HORSE FEEDS :The Choice of Champions

Congratulations to all VUMA connections for superb performances at Turffontein on Saturday.

The  racecard at Turffontein was filled with big horses, top trainers and jocks, with a few surprises for “picksters” and punters. Michael Azzie got the ball rolling winning the first with Thekkady, bred by Bill and Barbara Marshall at Summerhill. Alec Laird won the second with War of Conquest, and the Charles Laird trained Cashel the fourth.

Sean Tarry took the first feature of the day, winning the Aquanaut Handicap with Bound by Honour. Things got really hot when 50-1 shot, Imbongi (Russian Revival bred at Summerhill) won the Gauteng Guineas (G2) for the Mike de Kock stable, followed by Kilcoy Castle, Horatio - both trained by Sean Tarry, and Rudra for the Mike de Kock team in fourth place.

Jet Master’s big-striding daughter, Stratos claimed the R1 million Empress Club Stakes G1 for Michael Azzie, chased home by Rat Burana and Bold Ellinore for Mike de Kock.

Ending the day on a high note, the Dominic Zaki-trained Mentor, won the G2 Hawaii Stakes, from Jaroslaw for Corne Spies, Emperor Napoleon for Mike de Kock and Rebel King for Charles Laird.

Summerhill’s Mick Goss has mentored many amateur breeders (including yours truly) on the value of families, and Imbongi’s win has added more weight to his dam’s (Garden Verse) pedigree, hot on the heels of half sister, Spring Garland’s win in the Acacia Handicap. The Champion Breeders have wonderful video clips of their National Yearling Sales draft on their website. My mouse blazed a quick trail of clicks to view Lot 446 (Imbongi’s half brother by National Emblem)!

Congratulations to all the winning Vuma-connections

Race 1 – Thekkady – Michael Azzie
Race 2 – War of Conquest – Alec Laird
Race 4 – Cashel – Charles Laird
Race 5 – Bound by Honour – Sean Tarry

Race 7 (Gauteng Guineas G2) – 1^st Imbongi – M de Kock
2^nd Kilcoy Castle – Sean Tarry
3^rd Horatio – Sean Tarry
4^th Rudra – M de Kock

Race 8 (Empress Club Stakes G1)
1^st Stratos – Michael Azzie
2^nd Rat Burana – M de Kock
3^rd Bold Ellinore – M de Kock

Race 9 (Hawaii Stakes G2)
1^st Mentor – Dominic Zaki
2^nd Jaroslaw – Corne Spies
3^rd Emperor Napoleon – M de Kock4^th Rebel King – Charles Laird

Click here to view the Summerhill Stud National Yearling Sales Draft.


Posted by Heather Morkel