Trainer Mike de Kock delivered a R35 435 quartet dividend knockout blow when his four runners remarkably filled the top four placings in the R500 000 Gr3 Gold Vase at Greyville on Saturday. The master conditioner seemed a little taken aback after the race but said things had worked out well tactically.
Enaad stays on strongly under Khumalo
“The problem is that many races in KZN are run at a modest pace and with Kingston Mines a natural front-runner, it made sense for us to make it a true-run race. I thought Enaad would be the best of the four,” he said.
Mike De Kock – memorable race
With Dean Kannemeyer’s Balance Sheet a well-supported favourite for the 3000m slog after his cracking recent Lonsdale Stirrup Cup win, there are many that would have been sweating at the 200m as Eric Ngwane had Smart Mart flying with Kingston Mines staying on gamely – and the only really fancied De Kock runner Enaad looking to have a bit to do.
But after a rough week, following a controversial ride down in the Eastern Cape, jockey S’manga Khumalo showed the stuff that made him our national champion last season as he got stuck into Enaad with a left-handed stick.
At the 100m, the 4yo gelding had taken off and he swept past the improved Smart Mart to win by a quarter length in a time of 191,37 secs.
Kingston Mines stayed on for third, ahead of 3yo Kinaan.
The rest were well beaten, with the favourite Balance Sheet producing no finish and running downfield. Between him and Helderberg Blue in the 2200m, they made the Lonsdale form look a touch dicey.
S’manga Khumalo – strong shrewd ride
Khumalo said that he knew that the pace would be on – “I knew what I had under me – he was so relaxed – I thought if we get cover we would go close, and it worked out well. Thanks to the MDK team for the chances,’ he added.
Enaad has now won 3 races with 8 places from 17 starts for total stakes of R544 350.
He was bred in Australia by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and is a son of ill-fated Coolmore shuttle stallion High Chaparral, a champion son of Sadler’s Wells.
Enaad is out of the twice winning Danehill Dancer mare, Al Anood.
He is beautifully bred to stay all day and the lightly raced 4yo now comes into contention as a Gr2 Gold Cup candidate.
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Gr3 Gold Vase (SAf-Gr3)
Greyville, South Africa, July 2, R500k, 3000m, turf, good, 3.11.37
1 – ENAAD (AUS), 52.5, b g 4, High Chaparral (IRE) – Al Anood (AUS) by Danehill (USA). Owner Al Adiyaat South Africa (Pty) Ltd; Breeder bred in Australia; trainer MF de Kock; jockey S Khumalo
2 – Smart Mart (SAF), 52.5, b g 4, Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Joyful Dancer (SAF) by Almushtarak (IRE)
3 – Kingston Mines (GB), 58.5, ch g 5, Archipenko (USA) – Alexandrine (IRE) by Nashwan (USA)
Margins: 0.25, 0.50, 1.50
