TURFFONTEIN - Punters reconciliation day

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2025 MIKE DE KOCK IPI TOMBE CHALLENGE

Johannesburg, South Africa — The Turffontein race meeting on Tuesday, 16 December will honour two local turf greats with the running of the 2025 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge.

The race was first named in honour of Ipi Tombe in 2003, when it was won by Varsfontein Stud’s homebred, Promisefrommyheart, trained by Geoff Woodruff and ridden to victory by Byron Vorster. 4Racing added the ‘Mike de Kock’ prefix in 2023 when it was won, appropriately, for Mike by Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd’s Gimme A Nother under JP van der Merwe.

It is our privilege to celebrate both these racing legends on Tuesday.

Ipi Tombe

The Ipi Tombe story is all the more remarkable for playing out against the background of the collapse of the Zimbabwean breeding and racing industry. While it would have seemed unthinkable at the time for a little filly from a strife-torn country in Africa to become a champion in two countries and a legend the world over – as with all the best stories, things only seem impossible until they are done.

By Manshood (Mr Prospector) out of Carnet De Dance (Dance In Time), Ipi Tombe (‘Where Is The Girl’) was born on Zimbabwean TBA Chairman Peter Moor’s Golden Acres farm on 10 October 1998. Henk Leyenaar, Steve Tomlinson, Dave Coleman and Rob Davenport bought her at the local national yearling sale for Zim $20,000, and from these humble beginnings grew a legend who would win in four different countries, on three different continents and be named champion in two of them.

Entrusted to leading trainer Noelene Peech, Ipi achieved 4 wins and a second in her homeland before her connections sold a 50% share to the South African Sunmark Syndicate.

Relocated to South Africa and put in the care of Mike de Kock, a not fully race fit Ipi finished 2nd in the Triple Tiara 1600 (Gr2) under Jeff Lloyd in March 2002. It was the second defeat of her fledgling career, but would prove her last.

Partnered with Mike’s stable jockey Kevin Shea, Ipi won the SA Fillies Classic (Gr2) at Newmarket in April and then shipped to Durban, where she won the SA Fillies Guineas (Gr1) and completed her July prep with a 3.75 length win in the Woolavington (Gr2). Jumping from the 15 gate in the 2002 Vodacom Durban July (Gr1), Ipi found herself trapped behind a wall of horses, but Shea patiently wove their way through traffic to snatch the honours by a head. It was Mike de Kock’s first July win and the first victory for a 3yo filly since 1957 and secured Ipi very deserved Equus Champion 3YO Filly honours for the season.

Purchased by Barry Irwin’s Team Valor International, Ipi Tombe spearheaded Mike de Kock’s sensational first raiding party to the Dubai World Cup Carnival. She won the Al Fahidi Fort (Listed) by 2.25 lengths in track record time and the Jebel Hatta (Gr3) by 3.75 lengths easing down, but it was her performance in the Dubai Duty Free (Gr1) that elevated her to legendary status. Turning for home, Ipi looked well beaten, but somehow mounted a rally to win by 3 lengths in a track record time of 1:47.61. It was a three race tour de force and she was named 2003 Dubai Horse of the Year.

With Kentucky trainer Elliot Walden, Ipi made her first - and only - US start in the 1800m Locust Grove Handicap (Gr3). Despite shouldering top weight, she went to post a well-backed favourite. She missed the break, but jockey Pat Day kept cool and got her back into contention. Coming out of the turn, Day sent her through the front runners to take the lead and claim victory by half a length.

A niggling training injury put paid to the rest of her season and ultimately, her racing career and Ipi was retired from the track in November 2003 with a record of 14 starts across 4 different countries for 12 wins (8 in feature race company), 2 seconds and the 2002 Equus Champion 3yo Filly title in South Africa and 2003 Horse of the Year honours in Dubai.

At stud, she produced 7 foals, but none which matched her brilliance. Her South African legacy continues through Drakenstein Stud’s Pin Turn and progeny Future Turn and Griffin Park.

Ipi’s story came to a close at Denali Stud in Kentucky in mid-2025.

She lived to the grand age of 27, but remains a champion for ever.

Mike De Kock

With a career that spans over 30 years, five continents, and victories in 10 countries, Mike de Kock stands as one of the most accomplished and respected horse racing trainers in the world.

Born on 14 February 1964 in humble surroundings in Alberton. Despite none of his family having any connections to horses or racing, Mike caught the bug early. He learnt to ride in the army’s equestrian unit and expanded his knowledge of horses by studying every racing publication he could get his hands on.

After taking over Ricky Howard-Ginsberg’s stable in 1988, Mike saddled his first winner, Evening Mist, who would also become his first Gr1 winner and his first ARCSA Champion in 1989. And they haven’t stopped coming.

Horse Chestnut, Ipi Tombe, Victory Moon, Greys Inn, Irridesence, Sun Classique, Lizard’s Desire, Igugu, Shea Shea, Vercingetorix, Bold Silvano, Mubtaahij, Variety Club, Malmoos, Mother Russia, Hawwaam, Rafeef, Soqrat and Sparkling Water to name a few. He has nine Summer Cups, five Durban Julys, three Cape Mets and one Queen’s Plate as well as two Triple Crowns and a Triple Tiara to his credit.

Mike catapulted onto the world stage with his sensational debut campaign at the 2003 Dubai World Cup Carnival and is ranked the second most successful trainer in Dubai Racing Carnival history.

Mike’s résumé includes in excess of 3,800 career wins, including 141 Gr1 victories and 8 South African National Champion Trainer titles.

He was also formally inducted into the SA Hall of Fame on World Pool Gold Cup Day at HWB Greyville on Sunday, 27 July 2025.

In addition to having trained the great Ipi Tombe, Mike has won this race a staggering 9 times to date – truly making it his race in more ways than one.

Now writing a new chapter and starting a new haul of Gr1’s as De Kock Racing in partnership with his son Mathew, we are enormously grateful Mike changed his mind about relocating to Australia and that we have the privilege of keeping him in the local horse racing fold for many years to come.

We invite you to join us for the 2025 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge at Tuffontein on Tuesday, 16 December to celebrate the life, the times and the talent that is Mike de Kock and his champion filly, Ipi Tombe.

Excellent write up and well done to MDK and Ipi Tombe , great memories 👏 

Who will ever forget her July win with Kevin Shea , what a great ride 

Anyway back to today , hat and heels in the 3rd 10/1 could be some value , top two in the betting don't appear to be world beaters and this could improve rapidly over the extra 

Corrupt race 6 is my banker , nice stayer this and should just about win today 

Good card on Reconciliation Day 😢

Watching these "honorable " members of Parliament yesterday,  knocking the shit of each other.🤣

SA is in a sad state 😢 

My early Xmas DOUBLE ( Hopefully  )   R1   INSPIRATION  / R7  CPT  HUNGA TONGA     10 / 1  !!!

My bet for the day ,Spumante Dolce ,on the nose 

Thoughts ....

In the first, I would not take the odds on Inspiration from draw 1, ex-Cape horse (first come-back run in SA for Swartz) looks better value.

KATYA KABANOVA...upset place chance