Throwback To Mike de Kock’s Last Summer Cup Win

Randall Simons salutes as Flirtation beats Mother Russia in the 2010 Summer Cup (Pic – Gold Circle)

Mike de Kock has been attempting to land a tenth Summer Cup since 2011 and as a matter of interest here is a look back at the day in 2010 in which he landed his 9th Summer Cuip and got the exacta in the process:

2010 Summer Cup Review

The very well attended Sansui Summer Cup saw the powerful Mike de Kock yard claim another major race one-two, this time with two filles, Flirtation and Mother Russia and the race was also a triumph for the top stallion Silvano.

A tremendous racecourse atmosphere was generated by the enthusiastic crowd of some 15,000 people.

Randall Simons rode four-year-old Flirtation to victory and the young jockey’s disappointment of losing the expensive Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup on odds-on shot Igugu was forgotten.

“I’m pinching myself,” said an ecstatic Simons.

De Kock praised the gallant Mother Russia, who has only ever missed a cheque twice in 25 starts.

“She did everything but win,” he said. “I think both her and Flirtation have more to come as this was only their second start this season.”

The Charles Laird-trained Rudi Rocks finished third ahead of last year’s winner, the Sean Tarry-trained Aslan.

Like Flirtation, both Rudi Rocks and Aslan are by Silvano.

De Kock’s talked about three-year-old, Perana, who had won the Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes in astonishing fashion, started favourite at 5-2, but Mother Russia was the most supported horse on the day, coming in from 5-1 to 7-2.

Flirtation was quietly fancied by more than a few pundits.

However, with the hype surrounding Perana and others, she was forgotten and started at 25-1.

Anthony Delpech took the long-striding Perana to the front from the off and set a very good gallop that had the field under pressure throughout.

Winter’s Night and Service Ace sat behind him, while Mother Russia was about eigthth, with Flirtation and Rudi Rocks near the back about a dozen lengths behind in the running.

Perana and Winter’s Night opned up a lead at the top of the straight, but then Mother Russia emerged from the pack under a tight hold from Kevin Shea and when she took the lead at the 300m mark it looked race over.

However, she tired in the last 100m, as did the chaser Rudi Rocks.

Flirtation, who had been switched around a wall of runners at the 300m mark with still five lengths to make up, suddenly became a contender.

She collared a wilting Mother Russia in the final stride to win by 0,5 lengths.

Rudi Rocks was 1,75 lengths behind the winner and Aslan stayed on to finish fourth, three lengths behind the winner and 1,75 lengths ahead of another former winner, Rudra.

Flirtation was bred by Advocate Altus Joubert and is owned by C and BA Livanos.

 

2010 Summer Cup Follow Up

The Summer Cup on Saturday turned into another triumph for the all-conquering Mike de Kock yard.

He achieved a one-two as he had done in this year’s Vodacom Durban July, although this time it was with two females, four-year-old Flirtation and five-year-old Mother Russia.

Randall Simons rode Flirtation to the biggest win of his young career.

His hitherto highest profile ride for de Kock had been in the expensive Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup earlier this month on the highly touted Igugu, who started odds-on favourite in that race.

When she lost a few might have questioned de Kock’s loyalty to Simons.

However, within the space of 70 odd minutes on Saturday any question that his jockeyship was to blame was firmly dispelled.

Firstly his ride from draw 17 in the Summer Cup could not have been more perfect.

He had Flirtation relaxed one wide about a dozen lengths back in the running.

She moved up steadily in the straight before he deftly switched her through a gap at the 350m mark.

It was the winning move as from then on her resolute finish enabled her to collar a tiring Mother Russia in the shadow of the post.

Then just over an hour later Igugu’s Ready To Run conqueror, the Charles Laird-trained Hollywoodboulevard, proved herself a special horse, waltzing clear under Guillermo Figueroa to a four length win in the level weights Grade 3 KIC Fillies Mile for three-year-olds, beating the likes of former Grade 1 winner Happy Archer.

Flirtation brought joy to long-time owner Costa Livanos and his wife Billy Ann.

De Kock was also glowing in his praise of Mother Russia’s excellent performance.

“She did everything but win,” he said.

He admitted he had made a mistake with her after the only ever poor run of her career in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood in June.

“It was one run too many, I made a mistake,” he had said before sending her for a long rest.

De Kock was once asked, “Are you still learning in the U.K?”, and his telling reply was “I’m still learning here, anybody who thinks he knows enough about this game shouldn’t be training.”

Mother Russia, benefitted from this attitude, and will surely be remembered one day as one of the most courageous females this country has ever produced.

In her career with Joey Ramsden and de Kock she has only ever missed a cheque twice in 25 outings, despite being on the small, albeit stocky, side and one who has never “wowed” parade ring audiences.

Her many stakes victories include three Grade 1 wins and she has now finished runner up, when carrying bigger weights than the winner, in two of the country’s big ones, the J&B Met and the Sansui Summer Cup.

De Kock felt that both Flirtation and Mother Russia could come on from their runs, as this had been only their second respective runs of the season.

The Maine Chance stallion Silvano made a giant stride towards usurping Jet Master as Champion Sire.

He is sire of Flirtation, third-placed Rudi Rocks and fourth-placed Aslan.

The latter won the race last year.