De Kock considering North American string

ELMONT, N.Y. – Michael de Kock has been an extremely successful trainer in South Africa and Dubai, and he’s strongly considering opening up a stable in North America in the next few years.

“It could be on the radar,” de Kock said Friday at Belmont Park, where he was to run Mubtaahij in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday. “We’re looking at it. I enjoy the racing here. I think there’s lot of opportunities at different tracks. There’s turf, there’s dirt, there’s a lot of opportunities for horses.

“Prize money is very good in New York. Certainly something we’re considering at the moment. My son [Mathew] is young and learned a lot and is keen to travel. It’s something we might consider in the next few years.”

De Kock has had only eight starts in the U.S., beginning in 2000 with Horse Chestnut, who won the Grade 3 Broward Stakes at Gulfstream Park. De Kock has run second twice in the Arlington Million, once in the Beverly D. and once in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

He brought Mubtaahij over for the Kentucky Derby, and the horse ran a respectable race, finishing eighth in the field of 18. Mubtaahij shipped from Dubai to Chicago and then to Churchill Downs. His preparation did not go as smoothly for the Derby as it seemingly did for the Belmont.

Mubtaahij, owned by Sheik Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Maktoum, the first cousin to the ruler of Dubai, will be shipped back to England after the Belmont and get a break before going to Dubai for that country’s racing carnival, which begins later this year. His major target for 2016 is the Dubai World Cup.

“I think he’s good enough to be competitive in the World Cup,” de Kock said. “Obviously, Sheikh Mohammed likes racing in his own backyard.”

De Kock shipped two horses to America. Umgiyo ran ninth in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. He was entered in an allowance race Saturday, the race after the Belmont Stakes, but was to scratch, de Kock said.

“He hasn’t been eating right the last two or three days,” de Kock said. “No pressure or need to run.”

Umgiyo will remain in the U.S. with trainer Christophe Clement, de Kock said.