IGUGU WAS THE BEST OF GALILEO’S AUSTRALIA-BORN PROGENY

Just four of Galileo’s 92 Group One-winning sons and daughters were born in Australia, and the best of them fetched only $65,000 for Kia Ora Stud at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale before starring overseas.

Australia-born gallopers Mahbooba, Niwot and Linton won the 2010 South African Golden Slipper (Fillies), 2012 Sydney Cup and 2013 Stradbroke Handicap, respectively, but South Africa-based mare Igugu was victorious four times at Group One level, achieving an official rating of 118 in 2011, three points higher than Linton’s best mark of 115.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Saeed Al Maktoum owned, and Mike de Kock trained Igugu, which is a Zulu word meaning treasure, following her exportation from Australia to South Africa. Igugu competed in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, winning 10 of her 18 starts, including a Group One race by more than 10 lengths. Igugu’s rating of 118 in the 2011 World Thoroughbred Ranking placed her alongside the likes of Dunaden, Heart Of Dreams and Lion Tamer. Igugu retired to the breeding barn in 2013 and gave birth to John Gosden-trained Listed placegetter El Misk before her untimely death on Christmas Eve in 2016.

I would love you to visit my blog every day for its daily serve of fresh content. But I would love you more if you hired me. I am well-bred, by Racing Post out of WA Turf Club. I am well-rounded, a winner over many courses and distances. And I am well-placed, available to add value to your existing team. Do the form on a racing, wagering and communications thoroughbred at markworwood.com.