The Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club staged their final fixture of
the season yesterday, when the main thoroughbred contest, the Gr.3 Abu Dhabi
Championship over 2200m on turf, was won for the second time by Mike de Kock.
Victorious in 2009 with Mr
Brock (Fort Wood), it was Light The
Lights who landed a cosy victory. The son of Western Winter raced
in midfield, while Jupiter Light (Lonhro) went off in front. The winner made his
move stylishly from 500m out and came to take the lead with 150m to run. From there
on in he was always holding his 13 rivals, coming home a three-quarter length
winner ahead of Janszoon (Dubawi).
A more than useful sort in his native South Africa, where
his career high came when taking the Gr.2 Peninsula Handicap, before running
fourth to Smart Call (Ideal World) in the Gr.1 J&B Met.
Moved to De Kock from Glen Kotzen thereafter, he won the
Listed (then) Singspiel Stakes on his Dubai debut last January, before running
second in the Gr.2 Al Rashidiya. This year in four previous Dubai starts, he
has won once, in a handicap at Meydan in January.
Bred by Hallmark Thoroughbred and one of seven Stakes
performers produced by Zimbabwean Champion First
Arrival (Northern Guest), he is a full-brother to the three-time Zimbabwe
Listed scorer Rock The Country. Amongst the six-year-old’s half-siblings are the Champion
South African Three-Year-Old Filly of 2013/14 and Gr.1 Woolavington 2000 Stakes
and Gr.1 Cape Fillies Guineas scorer In
The Fast Lane (Jet
Master) and the Gr.1 Golden Horse Sprint
Stakes winner Let’s Rock’N Roll (Muhtafal).