De Kock to saddle five at Meydan

Trainer Mike de Kock saddles five runners at Meydan tomorrow as the World Cup Carnival gets into full swing.

There has been some betting interest in Mujaafy in Race 4, a 1200m handicap on turf.

The Australian-bred gelding had five outings in South Africa before making the long journey north.

He won his first two races at Turffontein before decamping to Cape Town for the summer season sprints.

A three-length fourth to Bishop’s Bounty in the Grade 2 Diadem Stakes a year ago was his last effort.

Mujaafy, quoted at 9-2 in ante-post betting, will be ridden by owner Sheikh Hamdan’s retained jockey Jim Crowley, suggesting he might be fit enough to make waves.

In Race 3, De Kock sends out a mystery horse in the shape of Faith And Fortune.

This three-year-old colt was bred in Argentina by Wilgerbosdri before commencing his racing career in Italy for trainer Juan Saldivia.

He won two of three starts in Palermo before transferring to De Kock’s Blue Stables in Dubai.

Olivier Doleuze takes the ride and he is a 6-1 second favourite behind odds-on chance Royal Marine.

De Kock stalwart Light The Lights steps out in Race 6, a 1900m heat on dirt.

The eight-year-old by Western Winter will be partnered by Adri de Vries in his second outing of the season, having finished sixth of 16, six lengths behind the winner, on 3 January.

It’s worth noting that Light The Lights won at Meydan in early January last year and in January 2017 – and, indeed, in January 2016 at Kenilworth.

De Kock rounds off the meeting with two in the seventh race.

Baroot, another stable depend-able, has four wins in Dubai. He hasn’t run for nine months, but is at 11-2 and is selected to win by ace tipster Ed Marnane.

The other De Kock participant in the last, Bold Rex, had a dismal Carnival in 2018 and will be out to show he has since acclimatised

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