DELPECH THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET TO EBONY FLYER

Jockey Anthony Delpech
(Photo : JC Photographics / Summerhill Stud)

IGUGU, EBONY FLYER AND
HOLLYWOODBOULEVARD SHOWDOWN?

David Thiselton
Gold CircleAnthony Delpech was very impressed with Igugu after her win in the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein last Saturday and threw down the gauntlet to the Justin Snaith-trained Ebony Flyer.

Delpech said, “We’ve been down to Cape Town to take on Ebony Flyer, it would be nice if she could come and take us on here so we can settle the score.”

He added, “She felt like a different horse to her run in Cape Town. She had so much early speed I was able to place her easily. In Cape Town it was a left hand turn and she just seemed lost, so I was caught three wide. I was very impressed on Saturday. When I let her go it was just ‘whooooosh’ and she was off. Obviously it will also be the further the better with her.”

Delpech said that he knew Guillermo Figueroa would be chasing him on second favourite and runner-up Hollywoodboulevard, so he couldn’t afford to relax out in front.

Igugu, a three-year-old Australian-bred Galileo filly, was pulling away from them at the line and won by four lengths. She will be hard to beat in the next two legs of the triple tiara, the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and the Grade 1 SA Oaks over 1800m and 2450m respectively.

Igugu is a graduate of the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale and was defeated by Hollwoodboulevard in the expensive Ready To Run Cup over 1400m last November, but had her excuses as she missed 10 days of work in the build up and was also hampered in the race. Igugu has now won four out of six starts including a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 and is owned by Andre MacDonald in partnership with Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

Extract from Gold Circle