Local Is Lekker! Zanzamar does his winning thing on Thursday at Meydan.
Zanzamar’s smart win in Thursday’s Range Rover Cup at Meydan reminded the world of the capabilities of South African bred horses. And of the extraordinary talents of Mike De Kock as the Dubai World Cup Carnival heads to a peak with Super Saturday on 10 March and then a grand climax with the Dubai World Cup on 31 March.
The son of Fort Wood was not De Kock’s only winner of the meeting, but with the export protocol obstacles experienced in 2011, any SA bred win this year is a significant one.
Zanzamar had left South Africa as a two time winner, having shed his maiden at Turffontein over 1400m way back in April 2010 and then winning the non-black type Gatecrasher Stakes. He ran 4th in the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe, infamously lost by his enigmatic stablemate Kavanagh in the Stipes boardroom to Joey Ramsden’s Copper Parade – and then followed up with another good Gr1 effort when running third in the Premier’s Champion Juvenile Stakes – to yet another strangely up and down character in the talented Gold Onyx.
He opened his Dubai campaign when winning the UAE 2000 Guineas Prep in January 2011 beating the Mahmood Al Zarooni trained Street Cry gelding Splash Point by a length. Things were reversed however in the UAE 2000 Guineas run three weeks later when jockey Mickael Barzalona avenged the defeat. The heavily backed Zanzamar went down a length as 4-6 favourite under jockey Richard Hills to Splash Point.
In his final start of 2011 in the UAE Derby, he finished a gallant fourth withing four lengths of the winner Khawlah – who happened to be ridden by that man Barzalona, again!
Zanzamar’s return three weeks ago was not a great one, but he showed the benefit of the run when winning last Thursday.
Master Mike. De Kock's genius knows no bounds.
De Kock had a mixed evening though with the former Coolmore horse (now leased from them) Viscount Nelson winning the Gr2 Al Tayer Motors Al Fahidi Fort run over a mile. The five-year-old by Giant’s Causeway overhauled Albaasil within the final 100 meters under jockey Kevin Shea to win by a half-length, scoring his first Group win in just his second start for De Kock.
De Kock also saddled another former Coolmore runner in the pre-race favorite and eventual third-place finisher, Master of Hounds. Master of Hounds, was sold to Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum by members of the Coolmore partnership following his fifth-place in the Kentucky Derby.
“Both horses have run great races and it is a great result for the whole team as Viscount Nelson has not been the easiest to train,” De Kock said. “We will have to think where to go next but Super Saturday is likely with a view to getting him in the Gr1 Dubai Duty Free on [World Cup night. That was a big effort from Master of Hounds as well, and we may keep him on grass now.”
Showpiece. Meydan Racecourse is the venue for the big Dubai racing.
2012 marks the ninth season of the newly renamed Dubai World Cup Carnival, held for the third year at the magnificent Meydan Racecourse. The Dubai World Cup Carnival comprises a total of 10 meetings and will include the Super Thursday moved over to the weekend, which will now be called Super Saturday. The event, to be held on 10th March will conclude the Dubai World Cup Carnival Season.
The Super Saturday event is intended as a major preparation for the 31st March Dubai World Cup. This season will feature the 17th running of the richest horserace on earth – the $26.25m Dubai World Cup.
The end of March show has got to be a preferred destination for any self respecting South African racing enthusiast – with a bit of spare cash and a valid passport.
