Isivunguvungu just holds on under Manuel Franco in the Da Hoss Stakes on Saturday at Colonial Downs (Coady Media)
Graham Motion said the South African sprinting sensation Isivunguvungu had pulled up well from his victory in the Da Hoss Stakes on Saturday and was “in good shape” on Sunday morning.
Trainer Graham Motion was impressed by the Narrow Creek Stud-bred Hollywood Syndicate What A Winter gelding’s winning USA debut at Colonial Downs on Saturday and foresees a good international future for the former Peter Muscutt-trained Equus Champion Sprinter.
He said after the race on Saturday, ““I can’t say enough about what a good effort this was today. He spent two months in quarantine at the beginning of the year. He is a very special horse. He has a big following in South Africa and I am so happy for those guys. Super happy for the Hollywood Syndicate. Manny gave him a great ride. He’s a lovely horse.”
Motion was complimentary about South African horses in general.
He added, “They’ve just lifted some of those [quarantine] restrictions [on South African horses]. I think we are going to see a lot more [of them], especially after the performance of this horse. South African horses by nature are very tough.”
Motion has a history of success with South African-bred horses, having trained Gypsy’s Warning to major wins in the U.S, inlcuding the Gr 1 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park.
The Breeders’ Cup is the end-goal for Isivunguvungu, but the conditioner admits he and the owners still need to plan what the route there will look like. “We have to decide if we are going to run him again; we have to decide if he is going to be able to get in the Breeders’ Cup, which is what we’d really like to do. There’s a fine line now with this guy. I think he’s done enough fitness wise to get there without another race, so we’ll just decide.”
South African racing fans were able to watch Saturday’s race live as the big horse’s owners Hollywood Syndicate secured the TV rights for Gallop TV and Isivunguvungu’s victory received rapturous late night accolades on social media platforms.
He looked to be slightly slowly away under Manuel Franco in the $150,000 Black Type Da Hoss Stakes over five furlongs and 110 yards on turf at Colonial Downs and took a couple of bumps too.
However, he used his familiar early pace to secure the rail behind the two leaders and looked as monstrous as ever as he stalked the pace.
Franco pounced into the gap that opened on the rail as they turned for home and Isivunguvungu accelerated into the lead.
It looked race over half way down the straight as he opened up a two or three length lead.
However, his lack of a race for eight months then began to tell as he started tiring, while Nothing Better began bearing down on him.
Isivunguvungu showed his courage by finding enough to keep the fast closing horse at bay to win by a neck.
There was 1,5 lengths back to the third horse Maya Prince.
Isivunguvungu was receiving four pounds from the runner up.
However, it was a fine performance coming off a layoff and it earned his connections a cool $90,000 (R1,606,500).
He should come on well for the run.
His ultimate target is the Prevagen $1million Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over 1000m on Saturday 2 November.
South Africa’s thoroughbred breeding is standing up to the international test.
The tally so far for the “Flying Springboks”, eleven of whom departed for the USA in March, is a black type second by Beach Bomb, giving weight all around and likely needing the run, and a Black Type win for Isivunguvungu.
