By Scott Bailey
He’s not massive in size but full of talent and Jan Van Goyen steps onto racing’s grand stage this weekend when the three-year-old colt is tested in the Group 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate at Kenilworth, a race that has long defined champions in South African racing.
Trained by the master father and son combination of Mike and Mathew De Kock, Jan Van Goyen has done little wrong since first stepping onto the racetrack. From six career starts he has recorded four wins and two seconds, a profile that speaks not only to ability but to consistency under pressure. His earnings already exceed ZAR R2.4 million, an impressive return for a colt still early in his racing education.
By Master Of My Fate out of the Oratorio mare Daydream Believer, Jan Van Goyen has displayed a maturity beyond his years. His versatility is evident through victories ranging from 1160 metres to the mile, while his two dominant wins over 1600 metres mark him as a genuine contender at the King’s Plate distance.
The colt arrives at Kenilworth off a statement performance in December where he claimed the Group 1 Cape Guineas over the mile, cruising home by almost three lengths in what was described as a massive win. That performance followed a brave second at Group 2 level at the Summer Cup meeting and confirmed his seamless transition from juvenile star to top class three-year-old.
As a two-year-old he announced himself with authority, winning a Group 1 mile contest by nearly four lengths before backing it up with another commanding victory over 1400 metres. Each run since has reinforced the same message this colt thrives on competition and rises when the stakes are raised.
Key to his rise has been the partnership with Callan Murray, who remains in the saddle for the King’s Plate assignment. Murray has partnered Jan Van Goyen in all six career starts and knows the colt intimately. Speaking to iRACE during the week, the jockey was bullish about the horse’s condition heading into Saturday’s feature.
“I couldn’t be happier with him after his last win; he has trained on well and is spot on!” Murray said.
That confidence will be tested in one of the deepest mile contests on the calendar, where proven older stars and emerging talents collide under championship conditions. Three-year-olds do well in this race historically but the good ones step up to the occasion with their 5kg allowance, and Jan Van Goyen be the only one taking on the older horses this year.
For his owners Mesdames D L Erasmus and L Huntingford along with Mr H W Leyenaar, the journey has already delivered elite level success. A bold showing in the Group 1 King’s Plate would elevate Jan Van Goyen from rising star to headline act, and potentially mark the beginning of a new chapter in the De Kock dynasty.
