In the deep end
June 4, 2011Latest VDJ Log
June 7, 2011IGUGU means “jewel” in Zulu and this superstar Mike de Kock-trained Galileo three-year-old filly was the jewel of Saturday’s racing at Greyville, cruising to another facile Grade 1 win in the Woolavington 2 000, writes DAVID THISELTON.
The Mike de Kock-trained filly was “freshened up” after her famous Triple Tiara win in Johannesburg in which she won the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas, the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and the Grade 2 SA Oaks by a combined margin of 20 lengths.
However, she still started at 1-4 favourite and led from start to finish.
She quickened clear at the top of the straight and found another gear when the challengers came, winning comfortably by 2,75 lengths from the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes winner Emerald Cove and her de Kock stable companion Berry Blaze.
The latter is Irish-bred and six months younger, but is rapidly improving and found some support into 3-1, but her threatening run from last position was repelled quite easily by the front pair in the end.
Igugu was bred in Australia and is owned by Sheik Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum. She will remain the July favourite, although the Daily News time was more than a second quicker than hers’ and the top five in the latter race are sure to enjoy support too.
Jockey Anthony Delpech said: “I don’t think I will ride a filly as good as this in my career”.
See Featured Video Section on home page. Refresh for replay of the race.
6 Comments
Everyone is saying that Igugu has beaten nothing. What they fail to notice and see is the way she wins and her freakish like action. Mike De Kock says she performs better when she sweats up a bit, and that he wished her to have sweated up a bit more before Saturdays win. Well on July day, with the huge crowds and excitement going on, Igugu surely going to be sweating up and amped for the race of her life! The way I see things, JULY DAY, Igugu is going to be made to really GALLOP! AND THEN WE SEE JUST HOW BRILLIANT THIS FILLY IS ONCE AND FOR ALL! ! ! Empress Club and Ipi Tombi step aside!
You show Mrs Igugu, YOU SHOW EM!!! 😉
While I’m a fan of Igugu’s – whats there not to like about this filly? Lets be real here. She’s no Ipi Tombe (at least not at this stage anyway), & she’s got nothing on Empress Club! When she starts beating the boys, left, right, centre & over & over again on MULTIPLE occaisions… then we can start talking such comparisons 😉
I thinks she is a good horse. But i think she will have her hand full when is go’s head on with Past Master. On July Day. She raced with the best but there was no Past Master there. Also remember i have never seen a horse like Past Master. My horse for the July will be Past Master. Another horse that she has to be aware of is the stable mate, is Perana. We have not seen the best of this horse yet. So if Igugu wins, i would addmit she is a good horse.
So let them race and lets see what happens
I can’t help being bemused by all the racing “expert” detractors that are pointing only to the fact that Igugu’s time in the Woolavington was over a second slower than The Apache and company a race later in the Daily News.
Some thoughts from a non-expert… 1. Igugu was patently not at her best as hinted by Mike, having been given a good rest after the Triple Tiara 2. Igugu was not pushed out – Anthony was saluting well before the line (can’t remember the last time Ant did this!) 3. The colts race was run at 100% effort in the last 200m and 3 odd lengths covered 10 of them; and 4. Has anyone bothered to compare times on Derby/Oaks day at Turffontein? Taking Roger Smith’s “line horse who ran to form” English Garden, Igugu won in 154,18 easing up by 5,75 lengths; English Garden was beaten 2,25 lengths by a colt ridden out winning in 155,90.
Igugu is simply the best horse, male or female, in the country right now + master trainer + master jockey!
Ladies and gentlemen;brace yourselves for one of the if not the greatest July ever with Igugu simply disappearing into the finish line in a possible record breaking fashion.She is indeed a once in a lifetime horse and the July will be hers.Put the analysis one side and admire the horse’s raw talent and the intelligence of Anthony and Mike.If i were a bookie;i will put the horse on 1/100(I mean no offence to other horses).
Well like I said before, Empress Club and Ipi Tombi, STEP ASIDE! THE NEW QUEEN IS IN TOWN!!!
She was a champion comparable to them BEFORE the July, and now after the July, well, …. I compare her to nothing! She is a class on her own! Mike de Kock, you a living legend!!! There are a lot of people who need to learn what a CHAMPION looks like BEFORE the big races. When I saw this filly race the very very FIRST time, I said outright : SHE WILL BEAT ANYTHING IN THE JULY! ANYTHING! The rest is History! Well done to the Team. Well done guys, and give that Filly the biggest hug from me and tell her I love her lots.
From IGUGU’S biggest and greatest fan. :=)
Garth