Select Team For De Kock On Saturday

Trainer Mike De Kock will have just two runners at Meydan on Saturday but the South African maestro hopes he has two smart bullets to fire on World Cup night. De Kock's Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) ran the race of his life to finish second to California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the G1 Dubai World Cup last year and returns for another crack at the $10m race. He warmed up for Saturday's assignment when finishing second to Etijaah (Daaher {CAN}) in a listed race at Meydan Feb. 23 and De Kock is happy with his progress since. “Saturday has been his target since he was second last year,” he said. “Ideally we would have had two runs, as we did last year, but we ran out of time a bit so ran him a month ago instead of Super Saturday. He is in great shape ahead of what looks another strong renewal. Arrogate is clearly world class and going to be tough to beat but at least we are proven under these conditions,” he added. Mubtaahij transferred temporarily to Kiaran McLaughlin after his World Cup run last year and he followed up with some smart performances in America, including when second, beaten a head by Shaman Ghost (CAN) (Ghostzapper)in the GI Woodward S. at Saratoga in September.

De Kock will be slightly on edge ahead of the G2 UAE Derby when he saddles Fawree (Candy Ride {Arg}) who bids to emulate his stablemate Mubtaahij who won the race in 2015. The colt has proved unruly in the stalls on previous outings and he unshipped Benard Fayd'Herbe when ballooning the start when favourite for the Listed Al Bastikiya Mar. 4. Fawree has since undergone some intense gate schooling under the guidance of Malan du Toit, a leading equine behavioural therapist in South Africa. “The stalls had always been an issue with him,” said De Kock. “We had done an awful lot of work with him ourselves, as well as involving the starter, Shane Ryan and his team so it was a bit disappointing [in the Al Bastikaya] . We know he is a serious horse and we hope a genuine UAE Derby contender.”