THE former Mike de Kock trained Toreador gelding Misty Birnam registered his first win in the UK when he scored with ease in a Class 5 Handicap over 1400m at Redcar on Saturday.

The gelding was raced here by Anton Procter in partnership with Mike de Kock.

He won twice in KZN and was runner-up in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe of 2016 before running third in the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes behind Gunner and Zodiac Ruler, in what, on reflection, was not a vintage renewal of the end-of-season 2yo feature.

Misty Birnam, now a 5yo, was bred by the Procters and is by the deceased Toreador(Danehill) out of Verglas mare In The Mist.

He is trained now by Ian Williams and owned by Paul Wildes.—Sporting Post.