Earlier this week, DeKock indicated that Bold Silvano would be shipped to Dubai after this race and was, in his words, “a classic [Dubai] World Cup horse,” and that he is “very comfortable up to ten furlongs.”  The win in the Vodacom Durban July was over a 2,200 meters trip.  Anthony Delpech had the ride.

Click HERE for more from South Africa.

“Lizard’s Desire and indeed Lucky Find flew the flag again for South African-breds.  They are generally sounds, value buys as opposed to the horses in training from Argentina, where sellers have become unrealistic, way over the top.  International buyers should be flocking to South Africa and I hope our breeders and owners stay realistic.  That will keep our market lively and open.”

South African-breds have had enormous success at the Carnival, mostly due to the training exploits of De Kock and countrymate Herman Brown.  Yet, some of De Kock’s biggest wins came with Argentine-bred horses, including Honour Devil and Asiatic Boy, both UAE Derby winners.  Still, the disappointing Argentina-bred private purchases seem to outnumber the successful ones.  Rocks Off, Blues And Rock, Boss Professor, and Jodi are some more recent De Kock Argentine imports who have failed to succeed in Dubai. 

Click HERE for the full story from De Kock’s website.

DeKock received former Coolmore contenders Frozen Fire, winner of the 2008 Irish Derby (G1) and Golden Sword, 2009 Irish Derby placer, midway through last year with sights set on the 2010 DIRC.  “Frozen Fire is the most forward and likely to race first.” 

Eagle Mountain (pictured below at the 2008 Breeders’ Cup), after time off to recover from an injury that forced him out of the 2009 Dubai festivities, returned with a decent leg-stretcher in top conditions when fifth, beaten almost five lengths in December’s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (G1), a race he won in 2008.  De Kock will test the classy horse over Tapeta and might hold an Dubai World Cup entry. 

Honour Devil, winner of the 2008 UAE Derby will be back for more action, as will long time companion Royal Vintage, the 2008 Al Bastakiya winner, who was several beats off at the 2009 Carnival.   

Seven of DeKock’s runners are recent imports from South Africa.  The 3-year-old filly Zirconeum leads the charge for DeKock’s raiders, after a dazzling run when second in the 2009 Vodacom Durban July (G1).  DeKock has earlier reported that he “thinks she might be better than Irridescence,” who herself had won the Balanchine (G3) in 2003 and was an international Group One winner.  Zirconeum was closest to becoming the first filly to win the Durban July since the great Ipi Tombe, winner of the 2003 Dubai Duty Free (G1), landed the spoils.  De Kock reported that she is likely to go the route of Sun Classique, beginning with the Cape Verdi (G3) en route to the Duty Free.

Musir, winner of the Golden Horseshoe (G1), adds more fuel to DeKock’s fire from South Africa, and could go for either the Tapeta races leading on the UAE Triple Crown trail or perhaps stay on the grass.  Other South Africans coming for the Carnival include Mr. Crazy Boy, Wonder Lawn, Our Giant, and Raihana. 

2009 Carnival performers expected to return for a go at Meydan include winners Front House (Dubai City of Gold – G2), Silver Mist (Al Rashidiya – G3), Art of War, Warsaw, and Hunting Tower.  They are joined by past Carnival runners Biarritz, Engruipdo, Frosty Secret, Imbongi, King of Rome (pictured below), Mr. Brock, Rocks Off, and Stubbs Art.

Click HERE for the full list from DeKock’s website.

Zenyatta has only three starts in her 2009 campaign, the last of which being her narrowest victory, a nose win over Anabaa’s Creation in the Clement L Hirsch (G2) at Del Mar.  Arguably, Cocoa Beach is the most accomplished filly to face Zenyatta this season but has also had only three starts in her 2009 campaign, which included a lackluster fourth in the Ballston Spa Handicap (G2) over the turf at Saratoga.  Richard Migliore will ride Cocoa Beach for Godolphin.

The Lady’s Secret is part of a Breeders’ Cup preview card at Santa Anita, which includes Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) hopefuls in the Goodwood Stakes (G1).

Ridden by Rajiv Maragh, Honour Devil raced in mid-pack through the first five furlongs, dropped back leaving the backstretch, then rallied between horses and then along the rail in the homestretch to grab the place. 

Now in the care of Kiaran McLaughlin, Honour Devil was medicated with Lasix for the first time.  Provided he comes out of the race in fine fettle, the weak American handicap division could pose a target for the son of Honour and Glory.

Having trained in America with Kiaran McLaughlin for several months, including a sextet of published workouts that got increasingly faster, Honour Devil is poised for a return.  He was scratched from a scheduled start in James Marvin Stakes at Saratoga in August but continued to train, recording a pair of bullet workouts (fastest of the day, at the distance) over the same Belmont Park track he will race on Wednesday.  A 5-year-old son of Honour and Glory, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Honour Devil will fast a field of seven others and will be medicated with Lasix for the first time.  Honour Devil was expected to participate in the 2009 Dubai World Cup (G1) but a breathing ailment kept him sidelined.

Over seven furlongs, the Marvin has drawn an incredibly competitive field of nine which includes graded stakes winners Pyro, Bold Start, and Finallymadeit.  Now with trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, Honour Devil will be medicated with Lasix for the first time and has recorded six official workouts since June 6.  In his most significant performance from seven lifetime starts, Honour Devil’s win in the 2008 UAE Derby stands out as he defeated Cocoa Beach by eight lengths before she raced to prominence in the United States later in the year.

Impeccably bred, a son of the crack Aussie sire Redoute’s Choice out of the Encosta De Lago mare Dizzy De Lago, Musir is being exported to Dubai, and is likely to be joined by the Durban July second, Zirconeum – so says The National’s Sarah Tregoning. 

Click HERE to read more from Tregoning’s article.

Sheikh Mohammed also owns former Carnival runners including Diana’s Choice, Hunting Tower, Archipenko, Imbongi, amongst many others.