While it hasn’t been a vintage season in Dubai by their own high standards, the Mike de Kock team continue to provide the thrills for SA racing fans on the international stage as the patriotic flame flickers against the dark and foreboding background of serious issues on home soil.
Mike de Kock
Phumelela’s rather gloomy announcement of depressed trading conditions and betting turnovers outpaced by the free-striding inflation pacesetter issued this morning, is a stark reminder that our great horses, their owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms are the real heroes in trying times.
With our onerous export protocols, it costs a fortune to get a horse to Dubai – yet despite the ups and downs at home base, Mike de Kock has set out for sixteen years risking reputation, credibility and health to change lives and give our industry some much needed international cred.
Many of us vividly recall the groundbreaking Dubai Racing Carnival at which de Kock burst onto the international racing stage with Victory Moon and Ipi Tombe, who won seven races between them at Nad Al Sheba and Jebel Ali in 2003.
The master trainer, who boasts a stellar 3yo crop at home this year, has saddled over 150 winners in the UAE since that golden opening year and will be looking to make us proud again with Super Saturday at Meydan this weekend just around the corner.
Ipi Tombe winning the Dubai Duty Free
The prep for the richly endowed Dubai World Cup night on 30 March sees our 2017 Vodacom July winner Marinaresco line up in the $300 000 Gr2 Dubai City Of Gold. The 2410m should be right up his alley and the son of Silvano should relish the test.
Magic Mike has two runners in the $400 000 Gr1 Grade 1 Jebel Hatta run over 1800m.
There will be plenty of interest around former Paul Peter bomb Majestic Mambo, who only arrived in Dubai in January. A rails draw and Fayd’herbe makes this fellow an interesting runner!
Gauteng Guineas winner Janoobi (another Silvano) was third in this race a year ago but has been racing off form and needs improvement to feature.
Click on the image below
