News

Igugu The Superstar Of South Africa

2nd Jul 2011

Superstar filly Igugu completed her elevation as South Africa's best horse when taking the Group 1 Durban July (2200m) tonight.

IGUGU ($65,000 2009 Premier, 3f Galileo-Zarinia) was sold by Kia Ora Stud in Melbourne to South Africa's Summerhill Stud. She 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, she changed hands to race for the highly successful Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa al Maktoum-Mike de Kock combination, which have previously raced the likes of Easter graduate Musir to superstardom in South Africa.

Igugu has now won eight of her 10 starts - all five this year - including three at Group 1 level.

Prior to this win, she became the first filly ever to win the Triple Tiara and the R1million bonus that goes with it. The Galileo filly is indeed well-named, as Igugu means "treasure" in Zulu.

Inglis graduates have made a huge presence in South Africa in recent times. Melbourne graduate Le Drakkar was a Group 1 winner in 2008, before Redoute's Choice colt Musir emerged in 2009 to be crowned South African Champion Two-Year-Old. He later showed his class winning multiple times in Dubai, taking UAE Champion Three-Year-Old Colt honours.

Igugu's Champion sire Galileo has also made quite an impression in South Africa, with Igugu heading a string of Australian-bred stakes winners for the sire that include Mahbooba, Il Saggiatore, Alvaro and Miss Galilei.

Fellow Aus-bred filly Reem raced with success for de Kock and the Sheikh in Dubai this year.