News

Igugu continues record breaking run in South Africa

29th Jan 2012

Horse of the Year Igugu continued her dominance of South Africa’s most prestigious races overnight, overcoming an interrupted preparation to take out Cape Town’s racing highlight of the year at Kenilworth, the Group One J&B Met.

Igugu became only the fifth horse in the past 75 years to complete the double of South Africa’s biggest races, the Durban July (2200m) and J&B Met (2000m).

Last year the champion became the first filly ever to win South Africa’s Triple Tiara and the R1million bonus that goes with it, then set a new benchmark for three-year-old fillies in the Durban July by carrying 55kgs to victory.

After missing work due to a respiratory problem, travelling 18 hours to get to Kenilworth and then having to be prepared from the quarantine station at the track due to African Horse Sickness restrictions champion trainer Mike de Kock was full of praise for the courageous mare’s winning performance in the Met.

“It’s been a hectic month with her, but I’m really humbled by this filly’s performance today, she almost had no right to win given the month she has had and I don’t think she had the easiest passage either”, de Kock said after the victory.

“She wasn’t the Igugu that we know flying out from the gates, I feel as though she was about 90% today and for her to still win and dig down deep like she did at the end it’s just unbelievable .

“These champions get over this [interrupted campaign], lessor horses wouldn’t”, de Kock added.

IGUGU ($65,000 2009 Premier, 4m Galileo-Zarinia) was bred by Kia Ora Stud in the Hunter Valley then sold from their draft at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale to South Africa's Summerhill Stud. The superstar was then sold for 1million Rand from the Summerhill draft at the 2009 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale in South Africa.

After her third win, the daughter of Galileo changed hands to race for the highly successful Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa al Maktoum-Mike de Kock combination that are also responsible for world class Inglis Easter entire Musir.

Igugu has now won nine of her 11 starts - including four at Group 1 level. A Replay of the 2012 J&B Met can be viewed thanks to Summerhill Stud HERE

Kia Ora Stud will be bringing another strong draft of 14 yearlings to this year’s Melbourne Premier Sale from February 27 to March 1.

The Melbourne Sale will also feature the first southern hemisphere crop of Galileo’s European Champion sons Teofilo and New Approach.

For catalogues and more information go to www.inglis.com.au

Photo c/- JC Photos & Summerhill Stud: Igugu winning the Gauteng Fillies Guineas in 2011