South Africa's record-breaking trainer Mike De Kock is to take his biggest-ever team of horses to Dubai for the winter, including Dubai World Cup hope Victory Moon and Group winner Surveyor.

De Kock sent just five horses to Dubai last winter but his select team earned US$2.5 million in prize money through the exploits of Ipi Tombe, successful in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free, and Victory Moon, who won both the UAE 2,000 Guineas and UAE Derby.

De Kock, who has 160 horses at his Johannesburg yard, saddled his first Group 1 winner at the age of 24 and has twice been South Africa's champion trainer. He will always be remembered as trainer of South Africa's greatest-ever racehorse, Horse Chestnut, who now stands at stud in the USA.


The son of Fort Wood won the South African Triple Crown in 1999 - including when running away with the Derby by 10 lengths - and went to win the 2000 Broward Handicap at Gulfstream Park in America.

De Kock is seeking horses from other owners and trainers from around the world to join his stable in Dubai for the winter months and compete for an unprecedented level of prize money from state-of-the-art training facilities.

The recently-announced 2004 Dubai International Racing Carnival will offer an incredible US$21 million in prize money in February and March. The races outside the Dubai World Cup meeting average US$117,000 in prize money and there are 16 Listed and Group events. Additionally, there is a starter's rebate of US$2,000 for horses finishing fifth to tenth in the 55 races involved.

De Kock said: "We had an amazing season in Dubai last year, headed by Victory Moon and Ipi Tombe's double on Dubai World Cup night, contributing to our total of $2.5 million in prize money from the five horses we took over.

"With the US$21 million Dubai International Racing Carnival the new highlight of a season that already boasts prize money comparable with anywhere else in the world, there has never been a better time to have a horse in Dubai.

"We are bringing an exciting team from South Africa to Dubai this winter and I am keen to add to them with other horses from around the world."

For further information please contact Mike De Kock on +27 (0) 83 28 64 435 or his assistant in Dubai, Tom Dascombe, on +44 (0) 7973 511664.