Tuesday 29 March 2011
The depth and strength of H.H. the Aga Khan’s breeding operation was demonstrated yet again over the weekend thanks to a rare cross-continent double of Gr 1 victories for progeny of Aga Khan Studs mares. At Meydan, Rewilding (Tiger Hill) lifted the Gr 1 Sheema Classic, while Igugu (Galileo) strolled home over ten lengths clear of her nearest rival in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic at Turffontein in South Africa.
Rewilding is out of the remarkable DARARA, winner of the Gr 1 Prix Vermeille back in 1986. The daughter of Top Ville is beautifully bred, being a half-sister to a host of black-type performers, most notably champion racehorse and hugely influential sire Darshaan and the dam of Gr 1 winner and sire Daliapour. DARARA has proved to be equally effective in the breeding shed and counts no less than seven black-type progeny including Gr 1 scorers Diaghilev (later renamed River Dancer), Darazari and Dar Re Mi. Indeed Rewilding was following in the footsteps of his illustrious half-sister Dar Re Mi who had won the previous edition of the $5 million turf showpiece in Dubai.
DARARA joined Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Watership Down Stud in 1994 when bought at Goffs for 470,000 Irish Guineas and her offspring have also been highly sought-after in the sales ring, with Diaghilev/River Dancer raising 3.4 million guineas and a trio of her yearlings changing hands for half a million Guineas each, including Rewilding. Rewilding and Dar Re Mi are the final two offspring of DARARA, who was retired in 2008.
Igugu’s dam ZARINIA (Intikhab) is out of Darshaan mare Zariliya and from the same family as Zarkava. She was sold in 2004 for 30,000 Euros to De Burgh/Farrington and was exported to Australia where she produced Igugu as her second offspring. Bred by Kia Ora Stud, the filly was bought for Aus$ 65,000 at Inglis Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale in 2009 and joined Mike de Kock after changing hands once again later the same year for 1 million Rand at the Emperor’s Palace Ready to Run Sale. Igugu is now on course to become the first ever winner of the “Triple Tiara” series, the fillies’ equivalent of the South African Triple Crown, after having won its first leg in February, the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas over a mile. She will next be aimed at the third and final stage, the SA Oaks on 30 April.
Updated on 29/03/2011.
