This is a terrific weekend for racing fans, featuring a R1-million TAB Pick 6 carryover at HWB Greyville on Saturday, with a pool of R5-million expected. The Greyville meeting has three Grade 2 contests, including the WSB Guineas for males and the fillies’ equivalent, in which Sandringham Summit and Double Grand Slam rank Pick 6 bankers. Use your Betway tote portal to bet into the Pick 6 pool and you’ll get 6% betting tax refunded. There’s also a 10-race card Turffontein. In the UK, the flat season gets into full swing with the three-day QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket and the fi ..read more

Zinovi tracked his stablemate Forever Mine into the straight for a 1400m Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein in Saturday, swept by with 250m to run and won well. “He was in control the whole way, he gave me a really good feel today,” said jockey Muzi Yeni, whose strike rate for the stable this season is almost 25%. “Zinovi has won two of three races since his wind operation. He is not a bad horse at all, now that he can breathe I think he has a Listed or a Grade 3 win in him. I have no problem going back to 1200m with him. I am tempted to go for the (Golden Horse) Sprint at Scottsville, he won’t b ..read more

Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock sent out four winners this past week – and with the stable in good form he is hoping that Safe Passage can run a race somewhere near his best in the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m at Turffontein. He said: “Safe Passage has had erratic form since his foot injury incurred before the Met in 2023. He has been racing below his best since, except for a big effort in the 2023 Summer Cup. He hasn’t lost his ability, he is definitely capable and he’s in a good space. We’re hoping he brings his best to the racetrack, he must be included. There was a glim ..read more

Marco van Rensburg us riding with new confidence since his short spell in Dubai. He rode a good double for us at Turffontein Saturday aboard Winston Chow’s home-bred Volare E Mambo (Mambo In Seattle), who won surprisingly easily and could have more in the tank; and Grape Shot, who ran on steadily to win by a short head but also made the impression that she’ll win again, as she wasn’t fully wound up. Volare E Mambo. Grape Shot races for Wayne Jackson, Larry Nestadt, Noeline Malherbe and Dr John and Amanda McVeigh, in partnership with Mike de Kock. Well done to all involved ..read more

Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock is represented by seven runners at the meeting scheduled for Turffontein’s inside track on Saturday. Mike is back from his Australian trip ahead of next week’s Season Finale in Gauteng, and before a number of the stable’s runners will travel to Summerveld to compete in the 2024 KZN winter season features. He filed notes on Saturday’s runners: Race 1, 1600m: “Valare E Mambo is fit and well, she should be okay over the mile. Not a good thing, there are a few fillies to beat in the race, but she has a chance from her inside draw.” Race 5, 1800m: “Holocene has a good ..read more

Ahead of the 2024 Bloodstock SA National Yearling Sale, Cranbourne-based Mathew de Kock has called on South African breeders to promote their horses by joining together to send a number of yearlings to Australia so that they can compete on the major tracks Down Under and show their worth. Mathew, who is into his third year in a so far highly successful partnership with trainer Robbie Griffiths said: “I have no doubt that South African runners will be competitive here, and my dad shares my belief. But the local buyers I have spoken to are not sure. They’ve only seen Yulong Prince (Surcharge) in ..read more

A big shout-out to our stable employee Anathi Feni, who rode four winners on Work Rider’s Day at the Vaal, Thursday, 11 April – two for Brett Webber and one apiece for us and Alson Ndzilana. James Maree, the taskmaster of the Work Riders School, said that Anathi’s four on the day was probably a record and that he could only recall a few hat-tricks by veteran rider Sam Mosia.  Anathi (23) is the son of ‘Shorty’ Feni, our long time work rider in Dubai. He also wants to travel, like dad, has Australia in his mind. Diane de Kock said: “Anathi is keen to improve his English because he wants to ..read more

Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock has offered some pointers to Saturday’s meeting at Turffontein and Sunday’s meeting at Scottsville. He has entered five runners at Turffontein: Race 2, 1160m: “Khethiwe’s Destiny is a nice filly by Buffalo Bill Cody. We haven’t pushed her hard for this first start, but I do expect her to be competitive because she is quite a speedy sort. VJ’s Angel was impressive when winning last time and looks hard to beat.” Race 5, 1600m: “East Coast ran below his best last time, but his rating is too high as it is. He is perhaps better suited to the shorter distance, we’ll se ..read more

Marauding Horde (Vercingetorix) posted his hat-trick of wins stylishly at Turffontein on Saturday, and Mike de Kock and the three-year-old’s owners now have to decide whether to run him in the SA Derby or not. Marauding Horde’s relatively low rating puts him at risk of what Mike described as a ‘brutal’ handicapper’s penalty if he was to run a place in the Derby against the likes of Purple Pitcher. Marauding Horde, not just a pretty face! “I thought it would be a bit of a test today but he won very well,” said Mike. “It was a slow 2000m, to have quickened off that slow pace and with his weight ..read more

At Turffontein, Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock has 10 runners carded, a few chances among them, and he filed comments, as below: Race 4, 1400m: “Forever Mine lost his form before a rest, but he is doing well at home. We’re going to try something different, get him to come from behind instead of letting him go to the front like he’s done many times before. Let’s see how he goes, he’ll probably need it. Humdinger is as game as they come and she’s in here with a handy weight, well handicapped and well drawn. She’s won three races over 1400m and is bound to give a good account of herself again, a ..read more