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De Kock set to saddle 8 runners

De Kock’s big-race hope arguably produced a career best performance when second in the Group 1 concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge.

Mike de Kock is the most successful international trainer at the Dubai World Cup night. — KT file

The most successful international trainer on Dubai World Cup night, with a remarkable nine winners to his name, South African Mike de Kock is set to saddle eight runners on Saturday, headed by Sanshaawes in the world’s richest horse race, the $10million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates.

Already a dual Dubai World Cup Carnival winner this year, De Kock’s big-race hope arguably produced a career best performance when second in the Group 1 concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, over the same 2000m all-weather course and distance as the Dubai World Cup.

If the five-year-old gelding is successful, he will become the globe-trotting trainer’s first win in the Dubai World Cup. “That was a great effort from a bad draw on Super Saturday,” he said. “We knew when he arrived in Dubai he had a win or two in him but he has excelled our expectations.

“He is in great form at home but, realistically, we would be delighted with a placed effort. Hopefully, we get a good draw this time, because we certainly didn’t last time on Super Saturday.”

The trainer is set to be double handed in the Group 1 $5m Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. He won the Super Saturday trial, the Group 1 Jebel Hatta over the same 1800m turf trip, with Vercingetorix, who surged past re-opposing stable companion, Anaerobio, about 200m from home. De Kock said: “I think Anaerobio produced a career best on Super Saturday and thankfully he was received an invitation, deservedly, to run here.

“As for Vercingetorix, we basically do not know how good he is; he is lazy at home and just does enough on the racecourse. He remains unbeaten and always looks like he will win easily, but then almost stops and waits for a challenge.

“Saturday will be his biggest test against the likes of The Fugue and he will need to produce a career best.” Not surprisingly, the South African nominated 2013 Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m turf) winner Shea Shea as his best hope on the card, bidding to repeat his track-record-breaking effort of 12 months ago.

As was the case last year, De Kock’s crack sprinter takes his place in the starting line-up having won Super Saturday’s Meydan Sprint under regular jockey, Christophe Soumillon.