Mike De Kock will take Variety Club to Hong Kong
Twice Equus Horse Of The Year Variety Club joined Mike de Kock’s yard on Sunday in the wake of his US$1 million Gr 2 Godolphin Mile win on Saturday in what is seen as a “practical move” by owners Markus and Ingrid Jooste.
Milnerton-based trained Joey Ramsden nurtured the magnificent horse from youngster into the champion he is today.
Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman said, “There is nothing sinister in the move. It will just allow Joey to concentrate on his local string. Joey will also continue to benefit financially from Variety Club’s success as much as he would have done as the trainer.”
Brugman revealed that the Beaumont Stud-bred five-year-old Var entire had pulled up “100%” from Saturday’s win and would have his first run under De Kock’s name in the Gr 1 HK$12 million BMW Champions Mile in Hong Kong on May 4 at Sha Tin.
Variety Club has to date had 22 career starts for 16 wins, four seconds, a third and a fifth. His wins include four Gr 1s, four Gr 2s and four Gr 3s and he is commonly regarded as one of South Africa’s greatest ever milers.
Another South African-bred horse, the Sean Tarry-trained Vodacom Durban July winner Heavy Metal, will also be targeting a big race in Hong Kong, albeit at the big international meeting in December.
Tarry said about the five-year-old Bosworth Stud-bred Silvano gelding, “He was invited to the World Cup meeting, but we didn’t accept as he didn’t pull up well from his last race. Dubai didn’t suit him and he was pulling harder than he used to. He will go to Mike de Kock’s yard in Newmarket and then be aimed at Hong Kong in December, although a lot has to go right between now and then.”
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