Eight-time winner of the South African National Trainers’ Title, Mike De Kock saddles BellaFever co-owned by two-time Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen-winning Chad Summers.
The 3YO daughter of Texas Fever (USA) is unbeaten in her four starts (3 in Uraguay and 1 in Brazil), which include two stakes races. The filly will make her UAE debut in Meydan Classic Trial. She is the lowest-rated horse in a very large field, competing against the likes of Final Song, Spirit Of Light,
Rakeez and Story Of Light.
"The (1,800m) would be absolutely perfect, put him on the other leg, I think it would rejuvenate him."
Bella Fever’s main aim this season is the US$250,000 UAE Oaks.
Summers returns to Dubai for the season to continue his life as a celebrity racing commentator for Dubai TV.
While speaking of comparing training facilities in the US and in Dubai, he says, “All our horses are grouped together. Whereas here they have private yards and restricted access, which is great.”
“There are also a lot of learnings here from the way top-class horses run on very little medication.”
“They way they have developed tools and techniques (here) to train horses is really impressive.”
“Our 2YO next year is not going to run on Lasix.”
“I’m also impressed by Mike de Kock’s training technique.”
“He trains them to run barefoot which keeps the horses very happy.”
“He communicates with them barefoot.”
MIKE de Kock and his son Mathew de Kock are in the process of setting up a satellite yard at the Cranbourne Racing Centre outside of Melbourne, Victoria.
“He (Mind Your Biscuits) is a very special horse. We travelled around the world. I wanted to show him off. I wanted to take on the world’s best and I did.”
De Kock said on his website that his South African racing operation will remain the stable’s main base, for the time being, to be employed as a platform to feed the Australian stable with horses from SouthAfrica.
He explained: “We are doing this as a pre-emptive move for our exports protocols opening up, we are confident this will be happening soon. We have been doing things the other way around, focusing on importing horses from Australia. Soon we’ll be exporting from South Africa at an exchange rate of roughly 10 rands to the Australian dollar, which is a great opportunity and makes good business sense. We will also be supporting the Australian market as we have been doing.”
Dual Gr.1 Golden Shaheen Winner Mind You Biscuitswhich was both owned and trained by Summers has now been retired ad stands at Japan's Shadai Farm.
Summers’ is very excited about soon being able to see Mind Your Biscuit’s babies in the sales ring.
“He (Mind Your Biscuits) is a very special horse. We travelled around the world. I wanted to show him off. I wanted to take on the world’s best and I did.”
“It was very difficult but it was great!”
Reminiscing about his experiences at Meydan, he says, “Mind Your Biscuits lost weight the first year we brought him out there. But then in the second year, we learnt our lesson. We kept him in Dubai for a week and treated him with electrolytes etc.”
Summers’ favourite horse (after Mind You Biscuits)is Thunder Snow.
“Watching him race at Churchill Downs was a treat.”
“I was glad I was there for the Breeder’s Cup that year.”
“I also watched Thunder Snow win the Gr.1 Dubai World Cup. It was a great outcome. The crowd was electric when he crossed the wire.”
“That’s what it's all about.”