RECORD EDGE, one of Mike de Kock’s early racetrack stars, has died of age just a few weeks before his 25^th birthday. He lived out his last years at Graham and Sue Armstrong’s farm near Mooirivier, KZN.

Born in 1990 and raised by the Birch Brothers, Record Edge was by Sunny North from Bold Broad (x Plum Bold). He started his racing career in April 1993 and raced successfully until October 1999 when he was first retired to the Armstrong farm. He showed so much zest and enthusiasm in the farm paddocks that Mike brought him back to racing as an 11-year-old in 2001 – a spell of seven runs saw him earn some more prize money until his final retirement in May 2001.

In all Record Edge raced 36 times for 10 wins and 10 places, with R1,7-million in stake earnings. His wins included the Gr1 Summer Cup (then Premier’s Cup) in 1999, the FNB 1600 and the Clairwood Park Gold Challenge. He raced in an era of many high quality thoroughbreds including Crimson Waves, Surfing Home, Kundalini, Follow The Falcon, Prince OF War, Imperial Despatch and Glamour Boy and acquitted himself with distinction. One of the most versatile runners Mike had ever trained, Record Edge won races at five racetracks over 1000m, 1200m, 1300m, 1400m, 1600m and 2000m respectively.

“Record Edge would have been 25 on 9 September,” said Diane de Kock earlier this week. “He was a character, still eating carrots every day. Mathew as a little five-year-old used to wander into his box much to everyone’s shock, as Record Edge wouldn’t let anyone in his stable. He raced in the silks of Colin and Meg Dunn.”