Kia Ora Stud missed a golden opportunity to promote its Holy Roman Emperor – Zarinia colt at the Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale this week.

His older half-sister Igugu won the G2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein on Saturday but, unfortunately, the colt was a late withdrawal from the sale.

Igugu (3f Galileo – Zarinia by Intikhab) was purchased for $65,000 by Livestock Traders at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier and was resold later that year for R1,000,000 at the Emperors Palace Ready-to-Run Sale.  She is raced in partnership by Summerhill Stud owner Mick Goss with Andre Macdonald, Rodney Thorpe and Roger Zeeman.  

The Gauteng Fillies Guineas (1600m) was the first leg of the Triple Tiara and she will be even better suited when stepping up to the Fillies Classic (1800m) and South African Oaks (2400m).

Igugu was always travelling like a winner in running and skipped clear when Anthony Delpech pushed the go button in the straight.  She won by four lengths from Australian bred filly Hollywoodboulevard (Street Cry) and Welwitschia (Oasis Dream).

Igugu opened her black-type account in the G3 Joburg Spring Fillies & Mares Challenge at Turffontein in October.  She was also runner-up to Hollywoodboulevard in the Ready To Run Cup and to Ebony Flyer in the G1 Cape Fillies Guineas.

The Mike De Kock trained filly is one of seven South African stakes winners by Galileo.  Australian bred filly Mahbooba leads the list with a Group 1 victory in the Golden Slipper at Greyville and she added a Listed victory in the UAE 1000 Guineas earlier this month.

Coincidentally, Mahbooba is out of a Red Ransom mare and Igugu is from a mare by Red Ransom’s sire son Intikhab.

Igugu’s dam Zarinia was bred by The Aga Khan and hails from the family of his 2008 Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava (Zamindar ) and G1 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Serpour (Darshaan).