MIKE de Kock’s stable received two trophies at the Equus Awards Ceremony that was staged on Tuesday night, 15 August.
Australian-bred Mustaaqeem, by Redoute’s Choice, was awarded Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (Distance Immaterial), and Mike himself received another Special Achievement Award for reaching the 3000-winner milestone during the course of the 2016/17 season.
The stable sent out 105 winners (100-plus for the 17th time), for R11,3 million in stakes and occupied a 4th position on the National Log. The winning strike rate was 16%, the second-highest in the land and a 60% rate of placed runners, the highest in the land for trainers with more than 30 runners during the season.
Mike thanked his hard-working team for a successful season and commented on how well the South African industry could do if export protocols were to be lifted. He said that ours was an industry full of champions.
Here is a list of the award winners:
CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD COLT (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Eyes Wide Open, Mustaaqeem, Sand And Sea.
WINNER: MUSTAAQEEM (AUS)
Mustaaqeem.
CHAMPION TWO YEAR FILLY (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Brave Mary, Lady In Black
WINNER: LADY IN BLACK
CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD COLT (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Al Sahem, Edict Of Nantes, Heavenly Blue, William Longsword.
WINNER: EDICT OF NANTES
CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD FILLY (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Just Sensual, Lady Of The House.
WINNER: JUST SENSUAL
CHAMPION OLDER MALE (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Captain America, Legal Eagle, Marinaresco, Whisky Baron.
WINNER: LEGAL EAGLE
CHAMPION OLDER FILLY/MARE (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Bela-Bela, Carry On Alice, Nightingale, Nother Russia.
WINNER: CARRY ON ALICE
CHAMPION SPRINTER (1000-1200m) ; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Bull Valley, Carry On Alice, Rafeef
WINNER: CARRY ON ALICE
CHAMPION MILER (1400-1600m; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Bela-Bela, Captain America, Legal Eagle, William Longsword.
WINNER: LEGAL EAGLE
CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE (1800-2200m; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Legal Eagle, Marinaresco, Whisky Baron
WINNER: WHISKY BARON (AUS)
CHAMPION STAYER (2400m UPWARDS; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)
NOMINEES: Al Sahem, Hermoso Mundo
WINNER: HERMOSO MUNDO
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
WINNER: MIKE DE KOCK
CHAMPION STALLION
WINNER: SILVANO
CHAMPION BROODMARE
WINNER: MYSTIC SPRING
CHAMPION BREEDER
WINNER: KLAWERVLEI STUD
OUTSTANDING STALLION
WINNER: DYNASTY
OUTSTANDING BREEDER AWARD
WINNER: VARSFONTEIN STUD
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
WINNER: LYLE HEWITSON
CHAMPION JOCKEY
WINNER: ANTHONY DELPECH
CHAMPION TRAINER
WINNER: SEAN TARRY
OWNER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: MAYFAIR SPECULATORS (PTY) LTD (NOM: MR D BRUGMAN)
HORSE OF THE YEAR
WINNER: LEGAL EAGLE
