Multiple champion trainer Mike de Kock has labelled his Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Mount Pleasant ‘a horse of international quality’ and a candidate to win a Gr1 in Australia.
As reported on his website, De Kock hasn’t been this excited about a young horse in a long time.
Mount Pleasant storms to victory (Pic – JC Photos)
He is taken with three-year-old Mount Pleasant (AUS), who gave several formidable older rivals a convincing beating in the R175 000 Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m at Turffontein on Saturday.
Mount Pleasant (13-10), coming off a 14-week rest and, as per Mike’s pre-race assessment not fully wound up, raced into contention with 300m to go. Callan Murray pushed him into the lead, and they fought off the challenges launched by Sean Tarry’s accomplished duo of Cirillo (5-2) and Chimichuri Run (7-1) to win by a length.
“Mount Pleasant is a horse of international quality. He’ll win a Gr1 in Australia, of that I have no doubt. To do what he did here was amazing. I’ve never seen him blowing like this, but he deserved to blow if you look at the horses behind him!”
Mount Pleasant is owned by Dave MacLean, who has enjoyed a good run of success in the yard and Mike said: “Dave’s invested in horseracing. He’s put his money down, he deserves a horse like this.”
- www.mikedekockracing.com
