MATHEW de Kock said he was “very chuffed” to be trackside for Onamission,his first winner in his own racing silks,  in Race 1 over 1200m at the Vaal on Thursday.

Mathew picked dark blue with an orange hoop, armbands and cap and, like his dad’s red-and-white colours, these are silks we’re likely to see often in years to come.

He is a man on a mission, and the Onamission syndicate for this two-year-old includes Colin Gordon, Trevor Quigley, Peter White, Brad and Brett Summers, a group we predict will one day proudly tell their friends, “We were partners in the first winner in Mathew de Kock’s orange and blue!”

Mat said about Onamission: “She was a R90,000 buy at CTS Ready to Run last November and she came to hand quick. The Juvenile Plates are strong this time of the year so we picked this Maiden Plate for Work Riders against older fillies and she came through well. Thanks to Colin for putting the partnership together. We were just chatting in our box at Turffontein one day. He liked Onamission’s pedigree and got his friends involved.”

Onamission was ridden by Chamu Mabaya, no stranger to the winner’s box but also over the moon because he hadn’t ridden a winner in a while.

Onamission is by Scott Bros stallion Crusade from a mare by Jallad, and was raised by Jane Thomas at Far End Stud.

Chamu Mabaya, “Baya” happy.