Mike de Kock’s latest recruits have arrived in Dubai and are currently in quarantine in the UAE.

The group, comprising Ertijaal, Liquid Mercury, Tellina, Mutamakkin and Al Mashooqa, as well as two new acquisitions Eisenhower (USA) and Winkleman (IRE), have all arrived safely and will be in quarantine for five days.

Most of the horses were trained by De Kock in South Africa but he also received two new acquisitions in Tellina and Liqiud Mercury who have joined the string for the 2016 Dubai International Racing Carnival.

Liquid Mercury is a four-year-old grey gelding by Trippi raised at Drakenstein Stud. Formerly in the care of Joey Ramsden, he’s won five of 11 starts, including the Grade 3 Cape Winter Derby. He was also placed in the Grade 1 Cape Derby – third to another Dubai-bound, Ertijaal.

One of the leading runners of his generation, six-year-old Maine Chance-bred Tellina has only four wins to show from 25 runs, but the Silvano gelding is a quality type with a Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 3 Wolf Power Handicap to his name. He has showed his mettle against the best for trainer Geoff Woodruff and has been unlucky at times, getting places in among others, the Durban July (third and fouth in respective years); and the J&B Met (fourth).

De Kock said: “Liquid Mercury is a smart sort. He was purchased for the stable from Joey Ramsden’s yard by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, while the well-performed Tellina was given to us for this campaign by Dr Andreas Jacobs.”

– mikedekockracing.com

Picture: Ertijaal (Liesl King)