Walking On Water
Multiple champion conditioner Mike De Kock produced the magic when the smart 3yo Australian-bred filly Alboran Sea scored her second consecutive Gr1 victory after a 13 week break
25th April 2015
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Multiple champion conditioner Mike De Kock produced the magic when the smart 3yo Australian-bred filly Alboran Sea scored her second consecutive Gr1 victory after a 13 week break
Which foreign-bred sire’s offspring have proved most successful in South Africa? And which top class overseas stallion has had the best strike rate in this country? Sarah Whitelaw takes a look.
A magical mix of bureaucracy and some typical De Kock genius strategy combined to give the daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar a terrific second career Gr1 victory and she looks to have the world at her feet – in more ways than one!
Surely the most impressive winner of the day title belonged to the husband and wife combination of Alec and Lezeanne Forbes, who won the MR 78 Handicap with John Jones’ Silvano gelding, Run Rhino Run
Those with slightly longer memories may have recalled Arcetri Pink’s scintillating Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas victory seven months earlier over Saturday’s course and distance.
The urban legend goes that Marcus actually suggested withdrawing Rich Girl when the draws came out and to add to his cynicism and doubts he had not believed that a filly of her nature would get the 1400m anyway
Scottsville’s premier race day last Saturday was dominated by the descendants of two stallions – Var and Rock Of Gibraltar.
Punters may have taken their eye off the ball after the withdrawal of the brilliant Majmu during the week. But it just goes to show again that we should never discount the power of the Mike De Kock string
Arcetri Pink bounces back from rest to win the R125 000 Sophomore Fillies 1000
It’s “Gallops” week for the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale, and so the performance of Bloodstock markets around the world was always going to be of topical interest to South African horsemen.
SARAH WHITELAW: The unbeaten 2yo, Harbour Watch, stamped himself as a leading contender, and current favourite, for next year’s 2000 Guineas, with a fluent win in Friday’s G2 Richmond Stakes.
‘I called the owner and before I could even make the offer he excitedly told me that a certain South African bookmaker had just called 10 minutes earlier to make an offer of R5m’
It’s clear that eight incidents of crop excesses is unacceptable for a sport keen to maintain a good public image, and the time appears to have arrived for a review of the crop rules for work riders on the Highveld
Rafeef is fast establishing a fine reputation as a stallion who has the ability to sire stakes winners across the speed and stamina spectrum
