Igugu

Igugu ran a highly creditable race in the circumstances to finish second in the Listed Rosemary Stakes over a mile at Newmarket on Friday. Mike de Kock’s mare had been weak in the market all day on what was her first run for five months and her first in Britain, and she raced up with a fierce pace in a race in which it was an advantage to be held up. The front four fillies were clear in the early stages of the race, and the other three fillies who, with Igugu, ultimately filled the first four places, Zurigha, Lanansaak and Maureen, were all held up. The other filly who helped force the pace, the useful and progressive Estiqaama, was well beaten in the end.

Igugu should come on for this, her trainer said afterwards that she was a bit burly and that there was plenty of improvement to come from this run, as is often the case with his horses who are returning from a layoff. Also, Richard Hannon reported that Zurigha had only just come to herself before this race, she probably hadn’t been given enough credit for finishing fourth in the French 1000 Guineas earlier in the season. She is a talented filly on her day who was probably at the top of her game here and who had the race run to suit. De Kock mentioned the EP Taylor Stakes in Canada as a potential target for Igugu now, and she would be a player in that for sure. She would also be of interest if she went to Ascot on Champions Day for the Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes, even though she would be taking a big step up in trip. She has won a Group 2 race in South Africa over 12 furlongs, and she has won Group 1 races over 10 furlongs and 11 furlongs.

27th September 2013