THE Mike de Kock-trained Investec Dingaans winner Silver Flyer has arrived in Cape Town where he will run in the Cape Premier Yearling Sales Guineas, and the champion trainer makes him a big runner.
Mike wanted to geld this horse the Monday after his Dingaans run, but was forced to change the plan after he came out and won fluently by 2,5 lengths under Glen Hatt, who keeps the ride.
Mike said, “He does not have temperament problems he is just coltish, so likes to do what he likes to do, but otherwise he is pretty straight forward.”
Mike said that there is a concern about how well any horse will travel, but he does not have any concern about his coltishness affecting his performance on the day.
“There has never been a problem before, he has always run genuine races,” he said.
He added that it couldn’t be said that the Cape form was better than the Dingaans form or vice versa.
“It’s not race over like some of them down in the Cape seem to think. I feel that if Silver Flyer brings his Dingaans form with him he will finish in the first three.”
“He finished less than a length behind Gimmethegreenlight in the Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville when he was still green and dumb.”
“The race will tell and that’s why we race.”
Mike felt that the Joey Ramsden-trained Selangor Cup winner, Variety Club, was the horse to beat.
“He’s done the mile and beaten them all, at least as far as the colts and geldings are concerned.”
Regarding the top class Fillies Guineas winner Princess Victoria, he said, “I think she will need to improve, at least on that last run. I think Variety Club has beaten better horses than she’s beaten. But I must say it’s a bold move by the connections.”
Silver Flyer will stay at the Kenilworth Quarantine station and won’t need to do much more in his preparation.
Mike concluded, “He is very fit and there’s not much more to do.”
Silver Flyer has a great draw of five and experienced jockey Hatt is sure to make the most of it.
Mike has won the Cape Guineas three times before with the great Horse Chestnut in 1999, with Flight Alert in 2002 and Domino Man in 2003.
