De Kocks seek international adventures

If we need a barometer to measure the state of South African racing, the De Kock family does the job.

News of Mathew de Kock returning to his homeland to establish a powerhouse mega-stable with his legendary father Mike is a clear sign a once-sinking industry has righted itself and is set fair for the future.

When young Mat – promising assistant to his dad at their Highveld base – upped sticks for Australia in 2020, it was widely reported he was doing so to establish a bridgehead for Mike to move Downunder. The reason: local racing was in the toilet.

In 2019, at the time of EFF-instigated strikes by grooms at Randjesfontein and Turffontein training centres – and threats to the De Kock family and stable staff, Mike wrote on his website that his situation had become nigh untenable.

250 winners

Australian media eagerly reported on internationally renowned Mike and his son touring that country assessing options for a training base. Mat eventually opted to go into a full training partnership at Cranbourne in Victoria with established Aussie conditioner Robbie Griffith.

This collaboration proved highly successful, yielding close to 250 winners over four years, including 12 stakes winners. Griffiths/De Kock was a regular in the top 10 of the Victorian trainers’ championship, a remarkable achievement with Victoria having hundreds of registered trainers.

But things are different now.

Notably, Mat and wife Monique have produced two young children and “family reasons” are prominent in this week’s announcement that the 33-year-old and Griffith were dissolving their partnership.

Another major change has been the outlook for South African racing.

Lockdown had the game on its knees. But then wealthy benefactors Mary Slack, Greg Bortz, Hollywoodbets and others came to the rescue.

Revamped management and facilities were one giant leap forward; the lifting of crippling horse export regulations by the European Union another. Suddenly Mike de Kock no longer looked likely to decamp.

The new partnership of M and M de Kock will operate from both Randjesfontein in Joburg and Summerveld in Durban.

Randjesfontein and Summerveld

The stable website adds: “Mathew’s impending return is also aligned with the stable’s long-term objective of reclaiming its position as a competitor on the international racing stage.”

De Kock’s erstwhile heroics in Dubai and recent good performances of South African horses in the US hint at future possibilities.

Mathew described his Australian venture as “very humbling” and added: “We’ll be forever grateful to Robbie and Shiranee Griffiths for the opportunity they gave us to join their established business. We have learnt much working alongside them and will be taking the knowledge we have gained back to South Africa with us. They have been fantastic and understanding of our decision.”

Mat will be based at the Randjesfontein barn while Mike oversees operations from Summerveld.

“We’ll be able to devote quality time to our horses at both centres, and eventually we’ll consider a satellite string in Cape Town,” he revealed.

Mike, with 141 Grade/Group 1 winners and about 3,800 career winners to his name, said he’d come close to retiring.

“But Mat’s decision has given me a new lease on life. He is a top trainer in his own right, most capable of taking over from me in due course.

“For now, I am postponing retirement. Mat is ambitious, young and talented… I will eventually take a back seat, oversee the transition and, if all goes well, help him to set up yards in other parts of the world so we can compete in suitable races.”