Team De Kock Ready For Takeoff

There was a time, not too long ago, when Mike de Kock parked the Boeing that was his globally renowned racing operation. The engines cooled, and it wasn’t expected to taxi back from the hangar onto the runway. Mike had one foot out the door and a boarding pass to Australia in hand. But then, after consulting with his son Mathew, came a change in flight plan.

Now, the Boeing is named De Kock Racing and its back on the tarmac – fully fuelled, expertly crewed, and preparing for take-off.

With Mike and Mathew in the cockpit, it’s a powerful two-pilot team combining experience, vision, and a renewed hunger to achieve.

The cargo bay is filling fast – high-quality bloodstock from bold buying at recent auctions, packed with class and the potential for international travel.

The sky, once again, is the limit. For rival stables, this might be a looming headache – but for South African racing fans, it’s a thrill to see a yard with such clout and performance, back in the fray.

The broader plan is for a phased transition, with Mat eventually taking the reins of the operation. There’s no set timeline. Mike’s spirit has been rejuvenated, and as Mat puts it, “It’s really nice having my dad around and being able to draw from his great knowledge and experience. Our first objective is to rebuild our South African string to the level where we can compete for the championship again, like we used to. Then, if we have horses good enough, we’ll take them onto the international stage.”

Mathew has stepped comfortably back into the role of fellow front man and stable spokesman, and, in his regular appearances on social media, he’s shown a slightly more serious demeanour than the Mat we knew before he left for Australia in 2020. He joked this week: “I am not more serious at all, I’ve just come back with two children!”

At 33, Mat is a more reserved version of his father at the same age – when Mike had just acquired the legendary Horse Chestnut and the patronage of Bridget Oppenheimer. Mike was seen as something of an upstart in those days, suffering several well-publicised run-ins with authorities and the press. The young De Kock, however, comes across as polished and media-savvy, and he navigates the spotlight with quiet confidence.

He said: “I’m not sure it comes naturally, but it’s definitely something you get better at with practice, and I had plenty of that in Australia. I think when my dad was younger, he was seen in some quarters as unfriendly and unapproachable, which anyone who knows him will tell you is far from the truth. He achieved phenomenal things despite being somewhat of an outsider for a long time.

“Things have changed. We are very aware of the importance of our stable’s image and our communication strategy. One of the key things we discussed before I came back was taking a fresh approach to owner relations and social media. These are central to every professional stable we raced against in Australia, and we had excellent systems of our own at the Griffiths/De Kock partnership at Cranbourne.”

He added: “Technology is your friend, and you’ve got to use it to your advantage. Information moves at lightning speed, and since racing is driven by information, it’s our responsibility to get it to our clients as quickly as possible. All forms of media are instantly accessible, and everyone wants instant gratification, so we’ve been focusing on building platforms to meet that demand. We’ve added Facebook and Instagram profiles for De Kock Racing, wholly upgraded our website, and started providing stable updates straight from the work track.”

Mat’s wife, Monique, has played a pivotal role in planning and implementing these changes, and she now manages the growing network. Several more innovations are already in the pipeline as part of their ongoing effort to streamline the stable’s media and communication channels.

He published a few promotional videos ahead of the National Yearling Sales and said: “I was a bit worried. I wasn’t sure how they would come across and whether anyone would actually see them. But a lot of people stopped me and said they liked it, and I had many phone calls. I actually sold 40% of a yearling to a new client who responded to the video on Facebook.”

Mat said that all stables should be encouraged to get active with similar promotions: “I was seated at a table alongside a few other trainers and we were discussing the buyer’s bench. Some were complaining about their lack of new clients. I told them to brush up on their communication skills. It is up to the trainer to source new support by using all the forms of media at his or her disposal.

“It’s like, we all know it is the right thing to do, but not everyone actually does it. There are people out there who are dying to get involved in buying horses, and some have good funds to invest. But racing is a sport that competes with so many other industries now. The individual who puts his money down, demands and deserves a pleasurable owner experience, including instant and open communication. It is simply vital for a stable’s growth.”

Mat has long been a proponent of racing syndicates, and his Onamission Syndicate – created to accommodate smaller investors – enjoyed notable success between 2017 and 2020.

The original syndicate’s best performer from just a handful of runners was Puget Sound, a modest purchase from the old Ready To Run Sale who went on to win five races before being exported to Mauritius. The venture turned a profit, even for shareholders with just a 1% stake.

He said: “Having dozens of shareholders in a horse truly gives people from all walks of life the chance to experience the same thrill as the big owners. There are, of course, challenges. Some trainers have complained that the ‘one-percenters’ can be more trouble than they’re worth, often because they don’t fully understand the social dynamics of syndicates or how to conduct themselves. But I firmly believe even the more difficult individuals can be managed – with the right guidance and by providing clear, timely information.”

Mat has relaunched Onamission with a 2025 National Yearling Sales purchase and said: “It was always going to be hard to find a decent horse at this strong sale for small shareholders, but we got lucky on Day Two with a beautiful colt by Malmoos out of an own sister to Takingthepeace (Lot 313). We trained his sire to win the Triple Crown and his dam to win two legs of the Triple Tiara, and his name is Wagon Wheel. He was fully subscribed before we advertised him on the media platforms, and we’ll be looking for other value buys at forthcoming sales.”

He said De Kock Racing’s 15 yearlings purchased at the National Yearling Sale represented the best overall quality he’d seen in years.

Asked how they compared to the horses he’d bought and trained in Australia, he explained: “Australia has a much larger horse population, so it’s only natural that they produce more top-quality horses. But our best South African thoroughbreds stack up well against the world’s best – both as yearlings and on the track. We’ve seen that in years gone by, and more recently with the success of South African-breds like Beach Bomb and Gimme A Nother in the United States.”

In discussing the contrasts in training and preparation between Australia and South Africa, he noted: “There are distinct approaches. Things are done a bit differently over there. But I came away having learnt a great deal. There’s not much you can teach my dad, but there are small refinements we’ll incorporate that can enhance our own winning formula. At the highest level, even the slightest improvements can have a big impact.”

South African stables, Mat observed, are ‘spoilt for staff.’ He said: “It was a pleasure to reunite with our team of enthusiastic and hardworking grooms in South Africa. In Australia, the industry is battling serious staffing issues. It’s hard to find experienced horse handlers. Young people aren’t too keen on early mornings, and many can earn better money elsewhere.”

While the past few months have been demanding for the entire family, Mat says he’s more content in South Africa than he was at Cranbourne. “It’s been wonderful to see old friends and familiar faces again. We’re back where it truly feels like home.”

Mat, Monique, and their little ones, Liam (3) and Olivia (six months), have been living with Mike and Diane in Umhlanga, which explains their regular travels between race meetings in Durban and Johannesburg.

Mat and Mike have appeared in rotation, popping up at different racecourses on different days – almost as if they’ve been beaming themselves up and down the country like characters from the old Star Trek sci-fi series.

Mat commented: “We have found a suitable home near Centurion and things will settle down soon. I’ll be living close to Randjesfontein, which remains our main base. My dad enjoys life in Durban, so he’ll mostly stay at Summerveld. We’ve re-established a permanent base in KwaZulu-Natal, which suits us well – just like it did in earlier years. It gives us more flexibility to race in KZN, especially with the exciting changes taking place, and to move our horses between centres. Now, with the KZN winter season underway, our best runners will be based at Summerveld for the next three or four months.”

While the rebuilding and restructuring of De Kock Racing is the current priority, Mat remains ambitious about the long-term vision. “Of course, I’d love to have a championship title on my CV one day, though I know it won’t come easy,” he said. “To win it, you either need a very large string to accumulate the stats, or an exceptional number of champions. We’ll be focusing on quality over quantity. I’m hopeful about the future of racing. There’s movement, there’s growing public interest, and we’ve got enough influential and passionate people in the game to drive the necessary change and keep the flame alive.

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