THE De Kock stable is full of confidence about Whistle Stop’s chance in Saturday’s Gr1, R1-million Grand Parade Cape Guineas (Grade 1) over 1600m. With Mike away in Dubai, NICCI GARNER of Racing Express spoke to Mathew de Kock.
“Whistle Stop’s been doing very well,” said Mathew. “You can see at home he’s still very immature, but he’s getting better each and every day and has a good draw in the Cape Guineas – if Anthony Delpech can utilise that, then he’ll run a big race.
“Of course the Cape three-year-olds seem very strong, but we wouldn’t be going down if we weren’t confident.”
Whistle Stop has won two of his four career starts and placed second in the others. Many experts expected him to win the Investec Dingaans at Turffontein on Summer Cup Day last month and he ran on well, but he could not overhaul Willow Magic, who he had beaten in the Graham Beck Stakes, and finished two lengths adrift at the line.
De Kock jun is happy to explain away that run, saying: “That was only his fourth start and he was just a little bit green on the bend. Willow Magic caught him flatfooted. Obviously he’ll be better going 2000m, but he’s a lovely animal. Very straightforward and he does whatever you ask of him.”
Whistle Stop left for Cape Town from De Kock’s Randjesfontein base on Monday.
Betting World’s betting: 22-10 Captain America; 7-2 Red Ray; 11-2 Forest Indigo; 6-1 Whistle Stop; 16-1 De Kock, Legislate; 20-1 Dynastic Power, Speed Rocket, Power King; 25-1 Top Jet; 33-1 Elusive Gold, Antonius Du Bois; 40-1 others.
