THE Vodacom Durban July one-two, Igugu and Pierre Jourdan, were both graduates of theEmperor’s Palace Ready To Run Sale and their consigner, Summerhill Stud, look to have an exciting string planned for this year’s sale.

This year’s Equus Horse Of The Year Igugu, by Galileo, was bred in Australia and imported to South Africa by Summerhill, while Pierre Jourdan was bred by Summerhill.

Joey Ramsden was the only one of the famous Ready To Run Breeze Up Gallops panel to have Igugu on his list.

The panellists are given a briefing each year to predict the winner of the race attached to the sale, the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup, and are allowed to list their three most likely fillies and three most likely colts.

The panel that day on October 16, 2009, consisted of Mike de Kock, Sean Tarry, Michael Roberts, Mike Azzie, Jehan Malherbe, Graeme Hawkins and Ramsden.

Igugu later reached the highest price of the sale, R1 million, and was bought on behalf of Andre MacDonald by De Kock, while Ramsden was the under bidder. Ramsden spoke recently of his disappointment at losing the bidding war.

However, in terms of the Breeze Ups panel briefing Graeme Hawkins came up trumps in Igugu’s year and this was the second time he had achieved the feat.

He was the only one of the panel to have the Australian-bred Hollywoodboulevard (Street Cry) on his list and this Charles Laird-trained filly beat Igugu in the Ready To Run Cup last year, although it was a shock result.

Hawkins also had the Ready To Run Cup winner of 2007, the Mark Dixon-trained Umngazi, on his panel list at the corresponding Breeze Ups.

In a bid to emulate the success of Igugu and Hollywoodboulevard, Summerhill have imported many horses this year earmarked for the Ready To Run Sale.

They will consign progeny of Australian-based sires Danehill Dancer, Dylan Thomas, Forestry, Johannesburg, Rock Of Gibraltar, Royal Academy, Street Sense, Tale of the Cat and Thunder Gulch, while Argentina will be represented by progeny of El Prado, Giacomo and Macho Uno.

South Africa’s late stallion Victory Moon, sire of this year’s Champion two-year-old filly Princess Victoria, will also have a Summerhill-consigned representative.

Pierre Jourdan’s sire, the Lammerskraal stallion Parade Leader, was retired recently after suffering a slipped tendon on his off hock.

This USA-bred Kingmambo stallion had a chequered career, commanding full books in the beginning before falling completely out of favour.

However, he caught some attention again after the belated success of Summer Cup winner Rudra and this was followed by Pierre Jourdan’s exploits as a three-year-old, in which he won the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Classic.

Pierre Jourdan was the subject of tremendous hype when subsequently attempting the Triple Crown and became known as “The People’s Horse”, but could only manage a well beaten second to Irish Flame.

Pierre Jourdan’s dam, Vin Fizz (Qui Danzig), has lost a foal by Solskjaer and was barren to Trippi.

However, she is due to foal down any day now with a progeny of Summerhill’s leading stallion Kahal, who finished fifth on this year’s National Sire’s log.