De Kock Aims for Seventh Al Rashidiya

Mike de Kock, who has trained the winner of the last three renewals of the G2 Al Rashidiya S. and holds a total tally of six wins in the 1800-meter contest, is set to saddle exactly half the field in the 2015 edition, following the late withdrawal of Salem bin Ghadayer’s Army Bulletin (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). 

The De Kock three-strong squad is headed by last year’s impressive G1 Jebel Hatta scorer Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}), who went on to suffer his first-ever defeat on his seventh start, in the G1 Dubai Duty Free S. That was at the hands of subsequent Longines “World’s Best Racehorse” recipient Just A Way (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}). Vercingetorix hasn’t been seen since running third to Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin Apr. 27 and will be reunited with his regular partner in Dubai, Christophe Soumillon. 

De Kock said of the 6-year-old, “We have said many times Vercingetorix is a lazy work horse and nothing has changed. He has a touch of class and hopefully we will see that again on Thursday. You cannot get excited with his work, but it was the same last year and he won well first time.” 

De Kock stressed that the same comment could apply to Mujaarib (Aus) (Nadeem {Aus}), who won this event a year ago but has not run since finishing down the field in the G2 Dubai City of Gold, Mar. 8. 

“Mujaarib showed little in the mornings last year, before surprising us in this race,” De Kock said. “Hopefully he will go well as he certainly seems to run his best when fresh.” 

The South African trio is completed by Sanshaawes (SAf) (Ashaawes {SAf}), the only one with the benefit of a recent race under his belt. That came Jan. 8, when fourth to Godolphin’s True Story (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) in the Listed Singspiel S. Over course and distance. The latter will be bidding to present Godolphin with a fifth victory in the Al Rashidiya, and trainer Saeed bin Suroor has expressed satisfaction at the horse’s progress. 

Japan raider Sociologa Inc (Arg) (Include), will make her Dubai debut on Thursday. The 5-year-old mare is a Group 1 winner in her native country, and was last seen when landing a Group 2 event at San Isidro Aug. 24, on the back of which performance she was sold to Japan Health Summit Inc. 

Another interesting contender is French import Mr Pommeroy (Fr) (Linngari {Ire}), a €250,000 purchase at last October’s Arqana Arc Sale, whose first start at Meydan resulted in a short-head second in the Jebel Ali Port H., Jan. 15, after his rider dropped his whip early in the straight.