Enjoying a superb top-drawer ride by Richard Fourie, the Peter Muscutt-trained Isivunguvungu probably sealed the Equus Champion Sprinter title when he fought on tenaciously to win the R1 million Gr1 Mercury Sprint at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
A genius tactician in the saddle, Richard Fourie had indicated that there was no speed in the race and he took the fight to the opposition to seal the Hollywood Syndicate’s fifth Gr1 success in a season they started with zero on the board.
With the fancied Gimme A Prince (8-10) taking a bump out of the stalls and always chasing, Isivunguvungu (11-2) bowled along out front before thwarting off serious challenges from Surjay (15-2) and Thunderstruck (15-2) to register a deceptively comfortable 0,30 length win in a time of 69,99 secs.
Richard Fourie steers Isivunguvungu to victory (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Surjay was not disgraced in second, ahead of Thunderstruck, with Gimme A Prince charging through late, a further length back in fourth.
A rematch between him and Isivungvungu in the Cape Flying Championship might be something to look forward to!
Isivunguvungu, meaning ‘storm’ in isiXhosa, is a son of 2013 Computaform Sprint winner What A Winter (Western Winter) out of the four-time winning Tiger Ridge mare Miss Tweedy.
Bred by Narrow Creek Stud, he was purchased privately by the Hollywood Syndicate in 2020, in the dark days of the covid pandemic.
Now a dual Gr1 winner of 6 races with 5 places from 14 starts, Isivunguvungu has banked earnings of R1 794 050.
Enjoy the replay:
