Mike de Kock, as reported in yesterday’s Racegoer, has been happy with his J&B Met day favourite Igugu’s preparation into the big race, but is unhappy with her having to stay under vector protected conditions at the Kenilworth Quarantine Station.
He also commented on his other big race runners on the day.
De Kock’s other contender in the Met is Ilsanpietro, who was once viewed as an out and out stayer, but proved with a 1,25 length second in the Summer Cup over 2000m that he has ability over this trip too.
De Kock said, “Without Igugu the race has an open look and Ilsanpietro will be very competitive.”
De Kock’s former stalwart stable jockey Weichong Marwing rides Ilsanpietro.
Mushreq runs in the Investec Cape Derby and the connections will hope that he is more relaxed in the running than last time when he still managed a fair 4,5 length fourth to Jackson.
Both de Kock and jockey Delpech said that the three-year-old Australian-bred Flying Spur colt was looking for this trip, so considering he is 3kg better off with Jackson now, he could be the dark horse in the race if he settles better and runs as impressively as he did with first time blinkers over 1800m at Turffontein.
Gibraltar Blue and Welwitschia, who were both bred in the Northern Hemisphere, contest the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m.
The five-year-old Gibraltar Blue, who will be ridden by Anton Marcus, is now old enough to have overcome her six months age disadvantage, and de Kock said, “I just wish we could get her to go a bit slower out in front. She has done exceptionally well down in the Cape and it looks like she has come on a bit (since fading from the front in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate to run a 8,45 length eighth).”
Welwitschia looked to be one of the yard’s main filly hopes at the beginning of the season and particularly positive comments were made about her at the time by Delpech.
However, she has so far only contested three races in the season.
She thrashed Dancewiththedevil by 2,25 lengths when only receiving 1,5kg in the Jo’burg Spring Challenge over 1450m and she was then 3,5 lengths back to Pierre Jourdan in the Grade 2 Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile over 1600m when finding no extra.
She won a Conditions Plate well in her last start over 1450m at Turffontein.
De Kock said with some confidence, “These Northern Hemisphere-breds, the longer they are here the better they get.”
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