South African racehorse trainer Mike de Kock may be fervently patriotic, but can never be accused of parochialism. He has almost single-handedly boosted the country’s racing profile by boldly shipping thoroughbreds around the globe, taking on the locals in prestigious races – and winning. Many times champion trainer in SA with more than 100 Grade 1 wins already captured, he has repeatedly plundered big prizes in major Northern hemisphere racing jurisdictions.
Always willing to push the limits, de Kock has campaigned successfully in the Far East, Dubai, Britain and America. Now he is poised to do something unique for a Southern hemisphere trainer and realise one of his dream missions – taking a shot at the historic Kentucky Derby in the States with recent UAE Derby victor, Mubtaahij.
The colt that has carved out such an impressive reputation as a top notch dirt performer in Dubai, leaves on the 18th April for Amsterdam, then flies across the Atlantic to Chicago where he will spend two days in quarantine. Mubtaahij will then head on to the iconic twin spires of Churchill Downs, venue of one of the world’s greatest thoroughbred horse races, staged on the first Saturday in May.
Skilled French jockey, Christophe Soumillon, who knows the horse well, will take control of the steering. The Derby often resembles a rodeo, with a full field of hugely talented yet inexperienced three year olds hurtling towards the clubhouse turn in front of 170 000 wild fans. Tactical speed and nimbleness are vital attributes, qualities that Mubtaahij has already displayed during five strong performances in Dubai.
The son of Dubawi did little on turf as a juvenile when racing at Newmarket in the UK, but has stepped up big- time since being switched to his preferred dirt surface. A resilient character who has overcome adversity in some of his races, Mubtaahij ought to have no problem with the Derby distance as he has already coped with similar routes, finishing with plenty of energy.
In a race never lacking in speed horses, two pitfalls for Derby hopefuls are an inability to last home, and the possibility of experiencing a hazardous passage during a roughly run race. As just mentioned, Mubtaahij seems sure to cope with the distance demands of the race and whilst luck in running is an unpredictable factor, he has sufficient seasoning and durability to manage in a stampede.
Priced up at 12 – 1 fourth betting choice, the realistic appraisal is that he faces particularly formidable foes. More favoured in early betting are a potential colossus in American Pharoah and the unbeaten Dortmund, (both trained by Hall of Famer, Bob Baffert) plus a consistent, high class son of Giant’s Causeway, Carpe Diem. They have earned glowing accolades “Stateside” after a series of brilliant victories. When astute Daily Racing Form analyst Jay Privman tags American Pharoah as “scary good” and experienced national handicapping colleague, Mike Watchmaker, not given to using superlatives lightly, describes Dortmund as “a freakish colt,” then you know the opposition will be extremely tough.
Sceptical American horseplayers may deride the invader from the desert, critically pointing out that Mubtaahij has not beaten much during his Dubai campaign, and could lack the raw speed required to compete with high-velocity rivals. The small matter of shipping a frisky racehorse half way around the world to compete is yet another obstacle to overcome.
But, “nothing ventured -nothing gained” is Mike de Kock’s mantra – he would not have forged his reputation as one of the finest trainers in the world without taking reasonable risks. He is certainly not one to miss out on such a rare opportunity and die wondering. A consummate horseman who relies not only on his eye and “feel”, but also uses scientific data to more accurately quantify thoroughbred performance, De Kock will embark on this grand adventure with meticulous planning and a hopeful spirit, to give Mubtaahij his best possible shot at garlanded “Roses in May” glory.