Marco Van Rensburg rode a cool race on Guy From Dubai (JC Photos)
A big day seldom passes without a Mike De Kock winner and our former champion trainer left it very late at the Vaal on Saturday. He owns the Right Approach gelding Guy From Dubai who stayed on best in his first run on the sand to hold off the well supported Henry Higgins in the R125 000 Vaal River Handicap, the last race on the card.
Fair enough this was just a lowly non-black type feature, but De Kock will take the win with both hands. What adds to the occasion is that the 4yo gelding showed his versatility and resolution in making his was through his field in the final 400m to win like a horse who has plenty in the tank.
Corne Spies’ All The Bids, an Emerald Cup emergency acceptor, kept them honest and led at a solid gallop right up until the 300m marker but had no answer to the finishing effort of Guy From Dubai and Henry Higgins.
Henry Higgins appeared to give Chad Little a tough ride as the jockey kept switching whip hands and straightening.
This allowed Guy From Dubai to escape and he went on steadily to win by 2,50 lengths in a time of 113,24 secs for the 1800m.
Jockey Marco Van Rensburg raised his fist in an elated salute.
Henry Higgins stayed on well enough for second while All The Bids hung in for the third cheque to round off a happy day for the Spies yard.
Guy From Dubai is a Wilgerbosdrift bred son of Right Approach out of the five-time winning Fort Wood mare, Limerick.
He was sold for R150 000 on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 and took his earnings here to R274 925.
He has won 3 from 13 starts with 7 places.
