David Thiselton

The Mike de Kock Summerveld yard sent out four winners in a meeting 10 days ago at Scottsville and have a chance of repeating the feat at Clairwood on Sunday.
In the first they send out Keep Icy Calm who failed over 1 600m last time and is now back over 1 000m in this Maiden Plate. She showed some pace on debut over 1 200m without troubling the judge, but with expected improvement could be a contender with a 4kg claimer aboard.
Interestingly, De Kock’s stable jockey Anthony Delpech is riding the Bart Rice-trained Andrew’s Pride in this race, a first-timer who is a full-sister to the talented Mr. Flatley. The Rice yard also sends out another filly that they hold in good regard, Lady Charlotte, who returns from a 10 month rest.
De Kock’s next runners are in the fourth and he could bag his first winner of the day in this fillies and mares MR74 Handicap over 1 200m with the Pivotal filly Headstrong. Officially she is a four-year-old but actually only turns four on March 22 having been born in the Northern Hemisphere.
However, after failing in two starts over 1 600m, she beat the talented Dennis Drier-trained Rise Again in a handicap over 1 200m at Scottsville last time by two lengths. The rest of the field were strung out like the washing, always a sign of good form, so she should be able to handle the five point raise she was given, especially at this level. The Tony Rivalland-trained Turf Queen usually shows some speed so is an interesting outsider dropped back to this trip with a 4kg claimer aboard. De Kock also sends out Kauthar in this race. She is 2,5kg better off with Headstrong for a 6,75 length beating, although she did have the excuse of a slipped saddle in that race. In the sixth a Merit Rated 71 Handicap over 2 000m, the De Kock yard send out Happy Valley, an Argentinian-bred half-sister to Milk And Honey. She won on debut over 1 600m despite dwelling at the start. Not only will she have come on from that run but now has Delpech aboard from a fair draw of seven against another uninspiring field.
An outsider who could fare well here is the Paul Lafferty-trained Royal Park, who has always struck as better than her form suggests. She is now upped considerably in trip and is drawn in pole. In the eighth, a Merit Rated 73 Handicap over 1 450m, the De Kock yard send out two horses with chances, Propiciada and Cream Cheese. Propiciada was a facile winner of her maiden in good to soft going over 1200m at Clairwood and in her last start ran a fair third to Headstrong. Delpech now takes the ride. Cream Cheese finished just 5,35 lengths behind runaway winner Imperious Star over the Clairwood 1 600m in her penultimate start and the form has been franked as the latter was a facile winner again earlier this week. Cream Cheese reportedly did not act in the soft last time and didn’t settle either so that run is best ignored. She looks likely to prefer this sort of trip and is well drawn with Muzi Yeni aboard. In this race Madam Councellor will provide Sean Cormack with his last ride for the Dennis Drier yard before leaving for Singapore and she has the form to go close. Her last run over 1 400m at Greyville is best ignored as she was bumped and cramped. In the last, a Maiden over 1 600m, the De Kock-trained Pennrock caught the eye last time with a strong finish in the soft over 1 600m, but Delpech has opted for Distinta Wells who will relish the step up to this trip.
Cormack has his last ride here on the Glen Kotzen-trained Dreams And Fancies. She is another to consider dropped back to what appears to be her optimum trip.

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Turffontein Pick Six Mega Net Pool C/Over: R 773 394 on Saturday 13th March 2010. Race 4 off at 14h30. Estimated Pool: R 5 million.

Clairwood Quartet Maxi Net Pool C/Over: R 94 530 on Sunday 14th March 2010. Race 9 off at 16h50. Estimated Pool: R 500 000.

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EAGLE MOUNTAIN, the 2008 Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1) winner who was campaigned around the world by trainer Mike de Kock, has been retired after his latest injury setback.
The Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum-owned six year-old will be retired to stud after injuring a tendon in training. His final run saw him finish second at Meydan last month.
De Kock said: “This is his third career-threatening injury. He’s been a great servant to Sheikh Mohammed and the stable and did us proud. Eagle Mountain’s future as a stallion is being discussed and we will entertain offers for him.’’
Eagle Mountain, by Rock Of Gibraltar, amassed prize-money of over £2 million in a 19-race career during which he won five times. He recorded his biggest success in Hong Kong but also captured the Group 2 UAE Royal Whip Stakes and the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at The Curragh, when trained by Aidan O’Brien. He also won the Group 3 Nayef Joel Stakes at Newmarket for De Kock.
As a three-year-old he finished second to Authorized in the Group 1 Vodafone Derby and at five was second to Conduit in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Turf at Santa Anita racecourse.
De Kock added: “He has an amazing race record and was one of the best horses I have ever worked with.”
Meanwhile in Hong Kong, no sooner had Brett Doyle got the ride on three-time Hong Kong Mile winner Good Ba Ba than he has been jocked off in favour of Weichong Marwing, who will take over in the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night.
Doyle took over from the sacked Olivier Doleuze in last Sunday’s Hong Kong Gold Cup, where the partnership came late to finish fourth behind Collection.
According to the South China Morning Post, Doyle has now lost out himself in this game of musical chairs, with South African Marwing set to take over.
Doyle will ride Derek Cruz-trained stablemate Joy And Fun in Hong Kong.
“Brett’s been riding Joy And Fun for a while and he’s done a good job on him, but the owner of Good Ba Ba wanted a change of jockey,” said Cruz, who took over training Good Ba Ba only after he had been removed from Andreas Schutz.
“We discussed a few different riders, but Mr Yuen liked Marwing and he wanted to give him a chance on the horse. And Weichong has had a lot of experience riding in Dubai when he was riding for Mike de Kock.”
Marwing won the Duty Free on Right Approach in 2004.
Presvis, generally a 12-1 shot for the Emirates Airlines Dubai World Cup, is reported to be in great shape after his return to winning form in the Group 2 Jebel Hatta at Meydan last Thursday. The Luca Cumani-trained six-year-old was reunited with Ryan Moore for the first time since being beaten a head by Gloria De Campeao in the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji last May and ran on well in the closing stages to score by a 1,5 lengths from odds-on Alexandros.
Cumani said yesterday: “It was nice to see Presvis win again and he is fine after the race. He has come out of it well and we are delighted with him.” - Racingpost

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The full Champions Season programme for 2010 is as follows:

CHAMPIONS SEASON 2010 - PROVISIONAL KZN FEATURE RACE PROGRAMME
DATE DAY VEN RACE GR DIST STAKE AGE RACE CONDITIONS
02-Apr Fri GreyN KWAZULU-NATAL STAKES L 1000 125,000 F & M Set weights
04-Apr Sun Clwd EASTER HANDICAP L 2000 125,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
11-Apr Sun Scot SUNDAY TRIBUNE BYERLEY TURK G3 1400 200,000 3 yr Set weights
SUNDAY TRIBUNE UMZIMKHULU G3 1400 150,000 3 yr Fillies Set weights
21-Apr Wed Clwd POINSETTIA STAKES G3 1200 150,000 F & M Weight for Age
27-Apr Tue Scot UMKHOMAZI STAKES G2 1200 200 000 2 yr Set weights
THE DEBUTANTE G2 1200 200 000 2 yr Fillies Set weights
THE SLEDGEHAMMER L 1800 125,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
02-May Sun GreyD KRA GUINEAS G2 1600 500,000 3 yr Level weights
KRA FILLIES GUINEAS G2 1600 250 000 3 yr Fillies Level weights
05-May Wed Scot THE SCARLET LADY L 1800 125,000 F & M Merit Rated handicap
07-May Fri GreyN DRILL HALL STAKES G2 1400 350,000 Open Weight for Age
IN FULL FLIGHT HANDICAP U 1000 125,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
16-May Sun Clwd HIGHLAND NIGHT CUP U 2500 120,000 Open Merit Rated race
21-May Fri GreyN BETTING WORLD 1900 G2 1900 350,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
23-May Sun Clwd EAST COAST HANDICAP L 2000 125,000 F & M Merit Rated handicap
29-May Sat Scot GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT G1 1200 600,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
SA FILLIES SPRINT G1 1200 500,000 F & M Weight for Age
GOLD REEF RESORTS MEDALLION G1 1200 500 000 2 yr Level weights
ALLAN ROBERTSON FILLIES CHAMPS G1 1200 500,000 2 yr Fillies Level weights
05-Jun Sat GreyD DAILY NEWS 2000 G1 2000 1 000 000 3 yr Level weights
WOOLAVINGTON 2000 G1 2000 500 000 3 yr Fillies Level weights
LONSDALE STIRRUP CUP G3 2400 200 000 Open Merit Rated race
12-Jun Sat Clwd RISING SUN GOLD CHALLENGE G1 1600 750,000 Open Weight for Age
CUP TRIAL G3 1800 200 000 Open Merit Rated handicap
GATECRASHER STAKES U 1450 120,000 2 yr Set weights
DEVON AIR STAKES U 1450 120,000 2 yr Fillies Set weights
KZN CHAPTER U 1200 150 000 Open Handicap subject to terms of series
WINTER CHALLENGE U 1600 150 000 Open Handicap subject to terms of series
FINALS U 2000 150 000 Open Handicap subject to terms of series
18-Jun Fri GreyN POST MERCHANTS G2 1200 350,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
26-Jun Sat Grey CANON GOLD CUP G1 3200 1,200,000 Open Merit Rated race
GOLD BRACELET G2 2000 250,000 F & M Weight for Age
TIBOUCHINA STAKES G2 1450 200 000 F & M Weight for Age
THUKELA HANDICAP L 1600 125,000 Open Merit Rated handicap
03-Jul Sat Clwd CHAMPIONS CUP G1 1800 750,000 Open Conditions race
GOLDEN HORSESHOE G1 1450 500 000 2 yr Level weights
GOLDEN SLIPPER G1 1450 500 000 2 yr Fillies Level weights
GOLD CIRCLE DERBY G2 2400 350,000 3 yr Level weights
GOLD CIRCLE OAKS G2 2400 250,000 3 yr Fillies Level weights
06-Jul Tue Scot QUEEN PALM HANDICAP L 2400 125,000 F & M Merit Rated race
11-Jul Sun Clwd KZN BREEDERS 1600 L 1600 250,000 3 /4 yr Conditions for KZN breds
18-Jul Sun Clwd MERCURY SPRINT G1 1200 600,000 Open Horses at WFA
24-Jul Sat Scot OFF TO STUD HANDICAP L 1800 150,000 4 yr+ F & M Merit Rated handicap
31-Jul Sat GreyD/N VODACOM DURBAN JULY G1 2200 3,000,000 Open Merit Rated race (with conditions)
GARDEN PROVINCE STAKES G1 1600 500 000 F & M Weight for Age
PREMIER’S CHAMPION STAKES G1 1600 500 000 2 yr Level weights
THEKWINI FILLIES STAKES G1 1600 500 000 2 yr Fillies Level weights
GOLD VASE G2 3000 400,000 Open Merit Rated race
CAMPANAJO 2200 G3 2200 200 000 Open Merit Rated handicap
07-Aug Sat Clwd UMNGENI HANDICAP L 1000 150 000 Open Merit Rated race
THE DARLEY ARABIAN L 1900 150 000 4 yr Set weights
Contact National Racing Bureau for any queries: 031 314 1777 • 0822850999 Subject to change 10/03/2010

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