“And I’m hugely impressed with the new Tapeta all-weather track. It’s very kind on horses and I think it’s going to be a real test of jockeys’ skills. With the old dirt track at Nad Al Sheba whoever was in front or in the box seat usually won. On the all-weather I reckon horses will be able to come from anywhere. This will even out the battlefield.

”The grass track hasn’t settled yet, the new laid surface will take time to knit properly, but it will be fine for racing even as it is now.”

He added that the new Meydan racetrack development was “vast and very impressive, it takes a long time to walk around it and it’s beautiful. They’ve done a good job here.”

De Kock has 11 runners at the opening meeting of the Carnival. “I’ve landed running,’’ he said. “I have some nice ones entered for first night including Raihana, who has been showing us a lot. I rate her and this will be a good test for her. She ran twice back in South Africa, finishing second over 1000m before winning a 1400m. She’s come here with the same kind of background as Victory Moon.’’

Musir, last year’s Champion Two-Year-Old in South Africa, is also working exceptionally well after a slow start.

Racing fans can also look forward to seeing horses like Hunting Tower and Rocks Off back in action.

De Kock’s hopes for the Carnival rest to a large extent on the young horses he has brought from South Africa and new faces like Golden Sword and Frozen Fire. But he believes he has an ace among the established members of his desert army in 2008 Hong Kong Cup winner Eagle Mountain, who was sidelined for a long time due to injury.

“Eagle Mountain came through his two runs in Hong Kong well and loves it here. I am going to run him on the all-weather and if all goes well he will go for the Dubai World Cup. I think a lot of trainers are going to be testing their horses on the all-weather and this year’s Maktoum Challenge could be very strong,’’ De Kock said. - Racing Express and mikedekockracing.com