Sanshaawes gains a place in the Dubai World Cup field after two consecutive Dubai World Cup Carnival victories and a career-best second behind Prince Bishop in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday – Credit:Dubai Racing Club // Andrew Watkins
The most successful international trainer on Dubai World Cup night, with a remarkable eleven winners to his name, South African Mike De Kock is set to saddle eight runners on Saturday’s $27.25m Dubai World Cup card, headed by Sanshaawes in the world’s richest horse race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates.
Already a dual Dubai World Cup Carnival winner this year, De Kock’s big-race hope arguably produced a career best performance when second in the Group 1 concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, over the same 2000m all-weather course and distance as the Dubai World Cup.
If the five-year-old gelding is successful, he will become the globe-trotting trainer’s first win in the Dubai World Cup.
The unbeaten Vercingetorix will put his record on the line in the Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup day – Credit:Dubai Racing Club // Andrew Watkins
“That was a great effort from a bad draw on Super Saturday,” said De Kock. “We knew when he arrived in Dubai he had a win or two in him but he has excelled our expectations.
“He is in great form at home but, realistically, we would be delighted with a placed effort. Hopefully, we get a good draw this time, because we certainly didn’t last time on Super Saturday.”
The trainer is set to be double handed in the Group 1 $5m Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. He won the Super Saturday trial, the Group 1 Jebel Hatta over the same 1800m turf trip, with Vercingetorix, who surged past re-opposing stable companion, Anaerobio, about 200m from home.
De Kock said: “I think Anaerobio produced a career best on Super Saturday and thankfully he was received an invitation, deservedly, to run here.
“As for Vercingetorix, we basically do not know how good he is; he is lazy at home and just does enough on the racecourse. He remains unbeaten and always looks like he will win easily, but then almost stops and waits for a challenge.
“Saturday will be his biggest test against the likes of The Fugue and he will need to produce a career best.”
• Crack Sprinter Shea Shea and Soft Falling Rain defend 2013 Titles
Soft Falling Rain bids to defend his Godolphin Mile title on Saturday – Credit:Dubai Racing Club // Andrew Watkins
Not surprisingly, the De Kock nominated 2013 Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m turf) winner Shea Shea as his best hope on the card, bidding to repeat his track-record-breaking effort of 12 months ago.
As was the case last year, De Kock’s crack sprinter takes his place in the starting line-up having won Super Saturday’s Meydan Sprint under regular jockey, Christophe Soumillon and the trainer said: “He is probably our best chance on the card and arrives here at least as fit and well as last year. There are some real speedsters in the mix which, hopefully, will suit him.”
Last year’s Godolphin Mile winner, Soft Falling Rain, is another De Kock returnee and he had a pipe-opener in the 1200m Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday.
“He has really improved a lot from that return to action,” said De Kock. “Ideally I would have probably liked one more run but we plan to keep him busy in Europe this summer so we have to strike a balance.”
Mike de Kock identifies Al Quoz Sprint defending champion, Shea Shea, seen here winning the Super Saturday Meydan Sprint as his best hope on Dubai World Cup day – Credit:Dubai Racing Club // Andrew Watkins
Of his other runners, Dubai Sheema Classic contender Mars, received a positive bulletin.
“He has come on a lot from his latest run when the blinkers perhaps did no suit. We thought he ran well though and, hopefully, he will at least be competitive,” said the trainer.
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