Gonnadancealot set to lead Griffiths and De Kock into spring
Sir Prancealot filly an Oaks contender after landing 1800-metre two-year-old race at Flemington
Gonnadancealot (Sir Prancealot – Tresillian by Danehill) earned herself a spot in this year’s VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) with an impressive win in the Byerley Handicap (1800m) at Flemington yesterday and is now one of Mathew de Kock and Robbie Griffiths leading lights going into the spring.
Owned by UK-based trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam and Eimear Donnelly who purchased her for just $30,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, the bargain buy proved she is a genuine prospect for Melbourne’s most prestigious staying contest for three-year-old fillies later in the year.
Ridden by Jamie Kah, she settled outside a slow tempo and after straightening dashed clear to stave off a late finishing burst from the race favourite Aktolgali (Adelaide) and win by two and three-quarter lengths.
Co-trainer Mathew de Kock told ANZ Bloodstock News that Gonnadancealot had always shown class at home, and, after ironing out some temperament issues with her early on in the piece, expected her to mature into a highly competitive racehorse.
“We have always thought she was going to be a nice filly once she’s matured.
“She’s progressive as you can see in her form. At her first run she basically ran last but misbehaved on the day and did all the things any immature horse would do but each time she’s improved and yesterday was proof in the pudding and you can see she’s on an upward spiral.
“Hopefully with this improvement there’s bigger things to come. She is right up there and at least she’s done and qualified for a spring race. There isn’t another filly that’s done that in our team. She’s the leading light in the stable for three-year-old fillies,” said De Kock.
That’s exciting news for her international owners who were up in the very early hours of their morning especially to watch the performance live.
De Kock said he was deeply appreciative that highly respected horse woman Jane Chapple-Hyam had given him and Robbie Griffiths the opportunity to train the filly and said it was the legacy of a solid relationship he and his father Mike had built with her over many years.
“En-route to Dubai our horses go through Jane’s yard and have to spend 30 days there and she takes care of them while they are there and that’s how the relationship developed. When she heard I was taking out a trainer’s license she jumped at the opportunity to support us and I am very grateful for that,” De Kock said.
Yesterday’s win by Gonnadancealot brought up the 15th Victorian metropolitan winner for Griffiths and De Kock in their debut season as a training partnership which is showing all the signs that it’s headed to exciting new levels in future years.
“It’s been a great experience to start the partnership. It’s been fantastic and the best part is we have been strong at sales and well supported.
“We have 55-60 two-year-olds for next season which is a great number. It will be a two-three year process to build up a strong team. Hopefully we will go from strength-to-strength and hopefully in a few years time be one of the powerhouses of Melbourne racing,” said De Kock.
The pair were prolific at this year’s round of yearling sales, with much of their buying power driven by some of the biggest players in South African racing and breeding, including Larry Nestadt, Lindsay and Kathryn Ralphs, Gaynor Rupert from Drakenstein Stud and Al Adiyaat Racing.
“It’s very encouraging joining forces with Robbie’s owner base that have been loyal and our international owner base. We have joined forces to be stronger together.”
De Kock, 29, hopes it isn’t too long before his father Mike, a globe trotting training legend, sets up in Australia but international travel restrictions induced by Covid-19 have thwarted those plans for now.
He explained that he hasn’t seen him for 14 months since the world was thrown into chaos by the pandemic and said he misses the daily contact they once had when working together.
“It’s tough on both of us as we are used to high fiving each other and hugging after a race. It’s hard to be apart for so long because every single day we used to work together at the stables.
“Success like yesterday fuels his desire to join us in the future and hopefully that day is not too far away,” he said.