Dubai feedback on J.J. and Archipenco.

See home page, J.J.s win.

Archipenko and J J give De Kock Group 3 double


MIKE De Kock may be synonymous with the Dubai Carnival but he was looking farther afield after completing a Group 3 double at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday with two of his best horses, Archipenko and JJ The Jet Plane.

Both horses will be among the select team the South African is planning to take to Britain in the summer, when he will have a permanent base at Geoff Wragg's former yard Abingdon Place in Newmarket.

Overcoming fears that he might be a touch underdone after a five-month layoff, former Ballydoyle-trained Archipenko recorded a cosy three-quarter-length victory in the Zabeel Mile under a confident Kevin Shea, who had also scored on JJ The Jet Plane in the Al Quoz Sprint.


"We said all along we would bring these horses along slowly with Europe in mind," said De Kock.

"Eagle Mountain should run next week and hopefully we can go to World Cup night with a strong team in most of the races."

Archipenko will run in the Dubai Duty Free, where he was an unlucky third 12 months ago.

De Kock said: "He will come on a lot for that and we have plenty to work with - Kevin did not need to be hard on him. He has a long year ahead with the Duty Free and England - perhaps Hong Kong again."

After flopping on dirt, South African sprint star J J The Jet Plane went a long way to redeeming his reputation in the Al Quoz over 6f on turf.

Having flown out of the gates under Shea, he led for a furlong before tracking second leader Instant Recall into the straight.
Asked to win his race by Shea over a furlong out, he skipped clear to score by a length and a quarter over the fast-finishing Hatta Fort.

"We knew he was a quality sprinter and is champion at home," said Shea. "The dirt beat him last time. We will really enjoy taking this horse to Europe and the likes of Royal Ascot beckon."
De Kock added: "We had to try him on the dirt as he has the pace for the Golden Shaheen but that was not to be.

"He worked on grass last Saturday morning and I knew he was back to hisbest and phoned the owners to get them over.
"He is a seriously fast horse and we should have a lot of fun with him at Royal Ascot and maybe France for the Abbaye. He is bred to stay further so we have options."

Few horses at the carnival have been more impressive than the Luca Cumani-trained Presvis, who made it two from two with a stylish last-to-first victory in the concluding 1m2f handicap.
Not for the first time, he looked a Group horse in a handicap. Sent off 4-6 favourite, Presvis was settled stone last by an ultra-confident Ryan Moore before easiong through the pack after turning for home.

Front-runner Yahrab had slipped the rest of the field, but Presvis swept past inside the final furlong to win going away - and possibly earn a jump right up into Group 1 company.


Cumani said: "He is a nice progressive horse and Ryan has given him a very confident ride as he has a lot of faith in the horse. We will think about the Sheema Classic on World Cup night if invited."

British-based trainers have finally started to get into the swing of things in the last couple of weeks and Presvis's success followed that of the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Beaver Patrol in the opening 6f turf handicap under Mick Kinane.

With the trainer recuperating from a broken leg, her assistant William Reddy, who saw stable companion Judd Street win last week, was on hand.

"The boss would have loved to have been here to see these horses win," he said.

Devotee secures Oaks success under Dettori


DEVOTEE, who suffered a heart murmur when finishing last at 1-3 on her Dubai debut, showed no ill-effects when out battling Japan's Earth Living to take the UAE Oaks.

British-based punters' fingers were burnt on Godolphin's ex-American filly when she finished down the track behind Saudi Arabia's So Shiny in the UAE 1,000 Guineas three weeks ago, after which Devotee was found to have an irregular heartbeat.

However, it looked highly significant that Godolphin were prepared to run Devotee again so soon after such an unhappy experience and, sent off 9-4 second choice, she duly gained her revenge.

Frankie Dettori was happy to track uneasy favourite So Shiny before taking his filly to the front over two furlongs out, after which she had to battle hard to hold Japan's Earth Living, who loomed a threatening presence a furlong out.

But though Devotee had to battle hard to deny the runner-up, she was going away again at the line and scored by a length and a quarter, the pair well clear.

"She was working so well before the Guineas and again since," said Dettori. "We thought she was a classic filly and she has proved it tonight but obviously it was a relief that she has run all the way to the line after last time."
Fran kie Dettori - Santa Anita - Oct 2008



Dettori and trainer Saeed Bin Suroor were completing a double after Vearcity tookthe inaugural running of the Dubai Racing Club Gold Cup, the first 2m race ever run at the carnival, while the trainer also struck in Qatar with Age Of Reason, partnered by Ted Durcan to win the first running of the $500,000 Qatar International Cup.

Touched off by Godolphin stablemate Friston Forest three weeks previously on his Dubai debut, Veracity was sent off a 4-5 chance to go one better.

Early leader Drill Sergeant ensured the race was a true stamina test, which played right into the hands of strong stayer Veracity, who was kicked on fully four furlongs out by a confident Dettori. The majority of his rivals were soon in trouble, but Mourilyan emerged form the rear to throw down a serious challenge under Ryan Moore in the closing stages before getting outstayed.

Dettori said: "He has plenty of stamina and I was happy to go for home a long way out. Obviously Yeats is a bit special but hopefully this fellow can run well in some of those Cup races."

Gloria De Campeao bounced back to his best when winning the 1m1f dirt handicap to finally give Pascal Bary a first UAE winner.

Well beaten by My Indy in the first two legs of the Maltoum Challenge, the five-year-old relished the drop in class under Jorge Leme.

Philippe Barbe, racing manager to owners Estrela Energia, said: "The horse deserves a win here as he has run some greatraces in defeat and it is great for Pascal (Bary) to finally get a winner in Dubai."

First-season trainer Mubarak Bin Shafya has enjoyed a tremendous debut carnival and apprentice Antioco Murgia made every yard of the running on Furnace in the 1m conditions race on turf.

Enjoyed the three MDK runners.

Art of war and the two mentioned.

JJ would have needed to win Computaform, Gilbeys and one more to make what he earned last night.

Congrats to Grecko, Nats and all

Well done JJ you beauty and well done MDK, Kevin and the connections! You did south africa proud!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Without taking any splendour from all the congratulations to the wonderful team, I would like you'll to read the following post off freeracer:

MIKE de Kock saddled a Group 3 double at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai on Thursday night, winning the Al Quoz Sprint with JJ The Jet Plane and the Zabeel Mile for the second year running with Archipenko.

Both races were worth US$200 000, and both horses were ridden by Kevin Shea.

JJ The Jet Plane, clearly more comfortable on turf than on sand, landed running but was slightly restrained and followed a pair of rivals into the straight. But he always seemed to have the measure of the field and when Shea stepped on the gas he put two lengths between himself and his rivals.
Hatta Fort ran on well late – one to follow next time, but ‘JJ’ had it in the bag and he won by 1.25 lengths.
“It is an honour to race here,’’ said part-owner Coenie Strydom, who received the winning trophy. “We believe in this horse and all the connections are delighted. We look forward to Royal Ascot.’’
“He’s got more to come,’’ said Mike de Kock and added: "I hope that shuts the traps of the South African peanut gallery, all of whom are so pathetic and ignorant they don't deserve the platforms they've been given on internet talk forums.
Archipenko, or ‘Archie’ as he is affectionately known, returned from a rest to prove his class in tye Zabeel mile. He, too, appeared to have the race at his mercy a long way out and he kept galloping strongly for an easy win.
“He’ll come on for this run and will be competitive in the Duty Free,’’ commented De Kock.

Notice the comments about te talk of people on forums about other people and decisions made by them. I agree that we all have the freedom of speech, but lets not use this forum or any other for that matter to run down people or anything like that. How can we grow as a racing community when we speak of others behind a computer screen any which way we like.
they the proffesionals and lets leave it to them cause they know what they doing. If someone believes they can do better then change jobs and giv it a go.
Please guys, lets leave all the trash talk and negative talk to ones self and support win or lose. Its the only way we can move forward. lets make racing popular and not a hobby where we feel we have the right to judge and scrutinize those who know what they doing.

An opinion (by definition) is a view on something which cannot be proven.

Clearly De Kock thinks that views which differ to his belong to a peanut gallery and are inferior or "pathetic and ignorant" as he puts it.

russelldewee, although you say "I agree that we all have the freedom of speech" you proceed to suggest the exact opposite.

The heart and soul of a forum is open and testing discussion. You want to reduce it to a meaningless cheering peanut gallery. ABC has already lost many contributors who (and I struggle to give them a description as a group) I would categorise as the 'non-teenage group'. By this I mean people who have significant knowledge or investment or experience in racing...people who give weight to a discussion or what they say.

Well said, JD

who are the "many contributors" that the abc has lost? post the "many" names jack

Well I for one can´t remember seeing ANYONE slag JJ off on ABC = must have meant the ´other´site - no?

It was pretty much agreed that he didn´t seemed to ´act´ on the Dubai sand - and we all look forward to him showing his "True" form on grass - which has just done!

So, as I say he must have been refering to another site.

Respectfully, Jim.