This report from David Thiselton at TURF TALK:
Mike de Kock now has a permanent yard at Summerveld in addition to his yard at Randjesfontein and he aims to bolster the numbers of his Summerveld operation as he envisages an upturn in the province’s fortunes when Hollywoodbets officially take over.
De Kock said, “I see a big future with Hollywood coming in and taking over. A lot of changes are going to be taking place and there is a lot of potential and therefore I would like to be part of it. It might be at a low now but I think that’s going to change.”
He added, “I’ve only got a small string at Summerveld at the moment, I’ve only got 19 horses, but I’m looking to build it up. I’ve got good staff in both training centres and I just move between the two. I am spending most my time in Jo’Burg at the moment because the season is just starting up here.”
On the horse front there is also plenty to look forward to for De Kock both here and in Australia.
He said Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King had had a good rest after his halcyon Champions Season campaign and was doing very well ahead of his engagement in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode – Onamission Charity Mile on November 2, where he will carry 63kg from draw seven (which could go out to 8 if the first reserve Formagear comes in) and he will be ridden by Richard Fourie.
De Kock described the Charity Mile as a “million rand gallop” for Dave The King.
He said, “It’s part of his prep for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. He will go for that, then a Pinnacle in December and then the King’s Plate.”
Dave The King is still standing his ground in the Betway Summer Cup, but from De Kock’s words it sounds as if he will bypass that race.
However, De Kock has three other Summer Cup entries running in the Charity Mile.
His Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 winner Silver Sanctuary has drawn well in three and will be ridden by Raymond Danielson, while her full brother Safe Passage, runner up in the last two Summer Cups, has drawn 5 and will be ridden by Malesela Katjedi and Shoemaker will be ridden by Diego De Gouveia from draw 9 as things stand.
De Kock also has Gimmeanotherchance in the race and this one took well to first time blinkers, running a close up third over 1450m, but he has drawn widest of all. His regular rider Craig Zackey stays aboard.
On Saturday De Kock’s promising three-year-old Heather’s Boy comes out in a handicap over 1600m at Turffontein Standside and won’t have it easy from draw ten off a 90 merit rating, meaning he has to carry 60kg against older horses. De Kock prefers the horses to do the talking, so is not making any premature statements about this long-striding colt, but there are plenty of race watchers who will be hoping he passes this acid test.
In Australia De Kock is pleased with the progress of a Frankel gelding called Nation’s Call trained by his son Mattthew (in partnership with Robbie Griffiths). De Kock found this horse himself in Ireland and has a share in him and last week he won for the fourth time in his career and a third time for the De Kock/Griffiths yard.
Mike said, “He’s a very progressive horse. He was just behind some good horses in Ireland and that last win (where he led and after being headed fought back courageously in testing going over 1600m) was his first run after gelding, so we’re expecting big improvement.”
