KWAZULU-Natal, the rain-ravaged Last Outpost, hosted two meetings at the weekend which saw three promising winners for Mike de Kock’s yard, one at Greyville on Friday evening and two at Clairwood on Sunday afternoon.

Istiqraar liked the Greyville 1200m.

Two-year-old colt Istiqraar just needed the experience when beaten on his 1200m debut at Scottsville last month and he was a fluent winner for Sheikh Hamdan and jockey Anthony Delpech first time on the bend in a 1200m dash at Greyville.

“Istiqraar was bought at last year’s Cape Premier Sale and we’re chuffed with him, he looks like a good sort in the making,” said Mike before his return to Dubai after a brief visit last week. Istiqraar is by Captain Al from Stella’s Journal, by London News.

Mary Slack’s newcomer Centimes (GB), by Shamardal, was backed from 33-10 to 9-10 to win the 1100m opener at Clairwood and she scored a decisive win. The good-looking debutante was slow at the off, but made up the lost ground quickly and won well for Delpech.

Centimes, fast and impressive.

“Centimes shows us a lot at home, she’s quick and we expected a good run,” Delpech said. “But she reared at the start and got left. She settled nicely and cruised in, it’s always a pleasure to ride winners for Mary!”

Raymond Koedyk’s sprinter Reign As Kings (headline photo, brown and cream silks) reverted to the minimum trip in the R100,000 Sentinel Sprint over 1000m. He was also a little akward out of the gates, but, like Centimes, this nippy racer drew alongside his rivals halfway out and, with his head held high, came away to win without undue pressure from Delpech.

Reign As Kings, who had won his two previous starts over slightly further with effortless ease, seemed to relish a bit more competition this time round and Delpech confirmed his promise as a feature race contender, saying: “He’s a talented horse. He was relaxed today with his head down before the race. I was worried he was too quiet,  but he’s learning to race now and could have a feature in him.”

Reign As Kings was bred by Roy Hanna, a colt produced from the covering of his former good race mare Lee Danzig by King Of Kings. He’s won three of four starts for 93,900 in stakes.

The Durban winners were saddled by Nathan Kotzen.

Photos by Gold Circle.