From his first Grade 1 success with Evening Mist in 1989, to the heady days of dominating global races with horses like Horse Chestnut (SAf) (Fort Wood {USA}), Ipi Tombe (Zim) (Manshood {GB}), Musir (Redoute's Choice), Sun Classique (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) and Igugu (Galileo {Ire}), de Kock has proven himself one of the world's great horsemen.
When he first began bringing horses to Dubai to compete, de Kock certainly felt like he had something to prove but he wanted little time making an impression.
"At first no-one knew, even us, what to expect. It was all, 'These could be zebras from South Africa who knows?' I think once we got there and we started training them, it changed," he said.
Mike de Kock | Image courtesy of Mike de Kock Racing
One of the converts was leading British-based trainer Mark Johnston, who de Kock recalls having a lunch with, changing Johnston's perspective on the South African horses.
"Mark was a little bit dismissive at first, but he does have an open and enquiring mind, so we did have a lunch and he followed the results with interest," he said.
"That Dubai exposure was a massive turning point of the breed in South Africa and made people stand up and take notice."
"That Dubai exposure was a massive turning point of the breed in South Africa and made people stand up and take notice." - Mike de Kock
De Kock also reflects on the remarkable career of Musir (Redoute's Choice), who was passed in at the 2008 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale due to an x-ray issue and retained by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.
"He never got his bid on the horse and he shipped him to South Africa and he was a high-class horse. He won Champion 2-Year-Old in South Africa, he was Champion 3-Year-Old in Dubai. He always had that x-ray issues but he was always pretty sound," de Kock said.
"He then came down to Australia, and for some reason they didn't want to race him, maybe because of what they saw on x-rays. He then came back to me in England and I took him to Turkey and won a big Group 1 with him there.
Musir | Image courtesy of the Dubai Racing Club
"He was pretty special horse. It was just a pity he was infertile."
De Kock and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa met in Dubai, thanks to Martin Talty's introduction, setting up a long partnership between owner-breeder and trainer.
"He and I have had unbelievable success in Dubai. At one stage his colours were as recognisable there as Godolphin."
The Kentucky experience
Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) took de Kock from the G2 UAE Derby to the G1 Kentucky Derby in a memorable moment for the trainer.
"It was massive. I don’t think I have been in one place with so many people. I think there was 180,000 people there that day. They went from the back strength to the other side of the front strength, there was just a sea of human beings," he said.
"It (Kentucky Derby Day) was massive. I don’t think I have been in one place with so many people. I think there was 180,000 people there that day." - Mike de Kock
"We were there the year American Pharoah completed the Triple Crown and unfortunately we ran into him. He ran ninth in the Derby, I thought he ran to his best."
De Kock has spent many years buying horses in Australia, but his connection to this part of the world was strengthened when his son Mathew moved to join Robbie Griffiths in 2020.
"Robbie saw that potential in him, so he (Mathew) has earned what he has achieved himself. He is vastly experienced, he has run my yard in South Africa on his own for a lot of years," he said.
Mathew de Kock and Robbie Griffiths | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
"He spent time in America and Dubai and Robbie recognised that and they have a bit of a partnership going.
"It’s a rebuilding phase for their yard which can take anything between three and five years, but he's an extremely capable horseman, steeped in a history of horsemanship."
Other topics covered in the podcast are de Kock's thoughts on training hours and the challenges faced by the South African thoroughbred industry.
