Mike and Mat de Kock, and the Sporting Post-sponsored Sean Veale, teamed up to give Hollywood Racing their 650th winner when the ‘fit as a flea’ Ingqwele cruised in to win a Class 4 race in the KZN Capital City on Wednesday.
Ingqwele and Sean Veale set the milestone (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
“It’s an honour and a privilege to be associated with this outfit. I’d like to see them on 650 Gr1 winners,” enthused a delighted Mike de Kock as he unsaddled his second winner of the pre-Public Holiday afternoon at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
The moment was a major milestone in the success story that is Hollywood Racing, who celebrated their first winner on 13 March 2002, when Splendid Night was ridden by the now Australia-based Sean Cormack, and trained by Paul Lafferty. The late legend Matthew ‘Magic’ Lips was the nominee for the then Hollywood Syndicate at the time.
Fast forward 23 odd years and Anthony Delpech is now at the helm.
‘Bonji’, as he is known affectionately, had plenty of reason to enjoy the milestone moment on Wednesday with his former boss Mike de Kock, for whom he rode for 10 years.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the son of Fire Away was registering his second victory.
Amongst South African racing’s most instantly recognisable racing silks, Hollywood Racing’s 500th winner came thanks to Sakhala Is’ Cathulo on 18 January 2024. The son of William Longsword was trained by Clinton Binda, and ridden to victory by Muzi Yeni.
