De Kock Strengthens Big Race Claims

Mike de Kock’s Hollywoodbets Durban July prospects received a boost at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday when the Australian-bred Al Muthana raised his game under Richard Fourie to win the 51st renewal of the R1,25 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge.

The seasoned veteran, once known as South African horseracing’s greatest ambassador with his global conquests, has not tasted Durban July glory since the halcyon double days of Bold Silvano (2010) and Igugu (2011). But the Randjesfontein master finds himself with an embarrassment of big race riches – his four-way coupling on 2 July potentially including Al Muthana, with heavy support fire from current July favourite Safe Passage, SA Derby winner Aragosta, and the top-class filly, Sparkling Water.

But despite his resounding victory in the Hollywoodbets Durban July ‘golden ticket’ on Saturday, there are some who question 4yo Al Muthana’s ability to see out a hard-run 2200m. He has shown speed and won his maiden debut over 1160m – but he is yet to tested over further than a mile.

After the Hawwaam Durban July start debacle in 2020, a potential Shadwell first winner in Africa’s greatest horserace, with the last horse to grace SA tracks in the famous white and blue, is the stuff of media dreams.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and owner of the global Shadwell Stud racing and breeding operation, passed in March 2021 and the operation has been downsized. Al Muthana is the end of an era – could he write a fairytale at the same track on 2 July?

The Cape-based Richard Fourie went freelance with great success in December last year and equalled living legend’s Jeff Lloyd record of seven Gr1 winners in a season, when he brought Al Muthana with a sustained late run from wide out and some way back to reach the 4yo’s career peak.

De Kock saifd afterwards that he expected Fourie to be engaged by one of the ‘big guns’ and it was only after riding Al Muthana in work that Fourie expressed a wish to ride him in Saturday’s Gr1.

Full credit must go to Mike de Kock who labelled the Australian-bred a Grade 1 winner early on.

Watch the replay here:

Justin Snaith provided the hare in the shape of the hardknocking Aussie-bred Crown Towers,who led for much of the trip.

At the 300m they were spread across the track, with MK’s Pride having beaten his 12 gate and looking dangerous. But Richard Fourie had been unwinding on Al Muthana (8-1) from lengths back and the son of Deep Field finished full of running to slam the nicely improved again Linebacker (6-1) by 0,40 lengths in a time of 97,15 secs.

Jet Dark (18-10) grew wings from last to run on powerfully for third, with MK’s Pride (17-2) running his heart out in fourth.

Russian Rock ran a typically gutsy race in fifth, but is now likely to give the Hollywoodbets Durban July a miss.

A 4yo Shadwell home-bred half-brother to Gr2 winner Wawail, Al Muthana was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park and is by smart sprinter Deep Field (Northern Meteor) from the Gr2 winning Redoute’s Choice mare, Daana.

He has won 7 races with 3 places from 14 starts for stakes of R1 419 875.

Al Muthana has now shortened in to 25-2 in the Hollywoodbets Durban July ante-post betting.