Jan Van Goyen paints the Cape red in Grade 1 Guineas win
Top 3YO storms home to land Kenilworth feature for the de Kock training partnership
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Jan Van Goyen (Callan Murray) saluting in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (1,600m) at Kenilworth on Dec 13.
PHOTO: RACE COAST
Sharon Zhang
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Jan Van Goyen showed he was a class above the rest with his convincing victory in the 2 million rand (S$153,000) Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (1,600m) at Kenilworth on Dec 13.
Trained in partnership by father and son Mike and Mathew de Kock, the son of Master Of My Fate kicked clear to record his second Grade 1 win from just six starts, five months after he landed the Grade 1 Champion Stakes (1,600m) at Greyville on July 27 as a juvenile.
Ridden by regular partner Callan Murray, Jan Van Goyen was beaten only half a length into second by the Candice Dawson-trained Trust at his last start in the Grade 2 Dingaans (1,600m) at Turffontein on Nov 29, when he was drawn wide in barrier 10.
With a better draw in gate 4 second-up, Jan Van Goyen bounced out and settled well under Murray on the rails in midfield in a classy field of 15 led by Good For You (Chad Little).
Passing the 400m, Star Major (Luyolo Mxothwa), Roland Garros (Andrew Fortune) and Randolph Hearst (Juan Paul van der Merwe) mounted their challenges from the inside as Good For You knocked up quickly.
With 300m left to go, Murray got going on Jan Van Goyen ($13), and the three-year-old colt responded with a blinding turn of foot to quickly put the race to bed.
Gimmie Rules (Craig Zackey) and Happy Verse (Aldo Domeyer) gave chase on his outside, but the bird had already flown.
The Justin Snaith-trained Happy Verse finished 2¾ lengths in second, while his stablemate Randolph Hearst snuck up on the rails to grab third, beating the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gimmie Rules into fourth.
While Mike has posted his sixth Cape Guineas win with Jan Van Goyen, it was a maiden success in the three-year-old classic for Mat, who returned from Australia and kicked off the training partnership with his father in late 2024.
“You can’t underestimate what’s been done here. Just two weeks ago, he had his first run after a rest and then moving provinces,” said the young trainer to Gallop TV.
“It was a big effort, but we had a lot of confidence in his ability and the team. A lot of teamwork went into this, I am glad it’s come to fruition.
“He’s a young horse with an exciting future. I think he is only going to get better. (Owner) Henk (Leyenaar) is here with his whole family today and this (win) makes it very special for them. A special day for my old man, my mum and my family too.
“Thanks to Eugene (Freeman from Boland Stud) for breeding him. He’s a lovely horse that’s easy to work with and those things happen when horses are well grounded and taught well from young.
“Today was a super performance on ratings. He won how he was rated. He’s eight pounds clear of everyone but I think there are some upsides. We’d like to take on older horses now to see where we stand.”
Murray – who rode with moderate success at Kranji in 2019 – was concerned with travelling interstate, but Jan Van Goyen proved him wrong.
“I’ve always known this horse had the ability to put a race like that away as easily as he did, but we had a big question mark with the travel,” he said.
“But who was I to doubt my team? Mr Mike de Kock and Mat got him in perfect order. I rode him in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning and here on Thursday morning.
“It was like he teleported. I was absolutely thrilled with that.
“Today, there was a little bit of carnage early, but I found my spot and never panicked. This horse is so easy to ride and he’ll get you out of trouble. He’s straightforward and that makes my work so easy.
“The pace was genuine enough. I peeled him off and that turn of foot was fantastic.
“I have a lot of trust in this horse. I know his gears, and despite a few setbacks, Mat and his father has done a fantastic job getting this horses here and how he was.
“All credit must go to the de Kock team. I’m proud to be a part of them and it’s also such an honour to be able to ride and win for Mr Leyenaar and his daughters.”
Jan Van Goyen was named after a prolific Dutch painter of landscapes, and was also the name of the street in Amsterdam where Leyenaar was born in 1946.
Now a four-time winner, he is nominated for the 165th Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate (1,600m) at Kenilworth on Jan 10, 2026.
The de Kocks and Murray combination also struck one race earlier when the six-year-old Dave The King ($75) hung on to claim the Grade 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes (1,600m).
