Photo Credit: JC Photos
New Zealand-bred colt One Eye On Dubai (Almanzor) ground his rivals into submission with a dominant front-running performance at the Vaal on Tuesday, leading throughout to score by eight and a half lengths over 2000m.
Making his third start for trainers Mike and Mathew de Kock, the Hollywood Racing runner relished the step up in distance under Callan Murray, opening his winning account in emphatic fashion.
While stronger opposition awaits, the manner of the performance suggested the progressive son of Almanzor has plenty to offer over ground. His rivals were under pressure while Murray still had plenty of horse beneath him, and the winning margin reflected his dominance.
For Mat de Kock, the breakthrough confirmed the improvement the three-year-old had shown between races.
“He won very well. Each run has brought him on considerably,” he said.
“Before his first run he wasn’t setting the tracks alight, but he improved from that and even after his second placing at his last start, he filled us with confidence between that race to this race.“It’s nice to see him deliver on the track and he looks like a nice young progressive stayer.
”One Eye On Dubai finished fourth over 1200m on debut at Turffontein in August before improving to second over 1700m at the Vaal on September 10.
Following that second outing, Hollywood Racing’s Anthony Delpech felt the colt had been unlucky not to win after dictating a slow pace and allowing a rival to get first run and the colt relished the step up to 2000m.
“This horse seems to stay very well and looks to have a future over ground. It’s exciting for the team,” Murray said.
His name is a nod to his connections’ international ambitions and De Kock Racing’s planned return to Dubai, with backing from Hollywood Racing.
Mike de Kock came up with One Eye On Dubai following One Stripe’s run in Miami, suggesting Dubai would be a good focus. The name also links to another Hollywood Racing runner, One Eye On Vegas.
“One Eye On Dubai was named by Mike de Kock in consideration of our older runner One Eye On Vegas, and after we’d decided to re-launch in Dubai,” Hollywood Racing’s Devin Heffer said.
Bred by the Smithies family’s Monovale Stud, One Eye On Dubai was purchased by Craig Ramsay for Hollywood Racing at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2025 Karaka Yearling Sale. Offered through Riversley Park’s Book 1 draft as Lot 449, he was knocked down for NZ$240,000 under the banner of Betting Entertainment Technologies International Limited, South Africa.
De Kock acknowledged both the people behind the purchase and the patience invested in bringing the colt through to his first success.
“Well done to Dev and Owen and Anthony and the whole Hollywood team,” he said.
“Craig Ramsay bought the horse in New Zealand, so he’s come a hell of a long way to South Africa, and we’re just very fortunate that we get to be the recipients of such well-bred horses.
“It’s nice when everyone has put in a lot of time and effort, money and patience and it looks like it is paying off.”
By Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor, One Eye On Dubai is out of the stakes-winning Exceed And Excel mare Applegate, making him a half-brother to Group winners Impendabelle and Cloudy.
Impendabelle won the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes and Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, while Cloudy’s victories include the Gr.3 Breeders’ Stakes in Adelaide.
The family will have another representative at Karaka this spring, with One Eye On Dubai’s half-brother by Proisir catalogued as Lot 149 in Riversley Park’s draft for the NZB Ready to Run Sale on November 18 and 19.
