Top sprinter Isivunguvungu (What A Winter) did South Africa proud when he won the Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday. Isivunguvungu was having his first start in North America and his first outing since January.
Equus Champion Sprinter of 2022-2023, Isivunguvungu is one of 26 stakes winners for his sire What A Winter, Champion Sprinter in South Africa in both 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
Like Isivunguvungu, What A Winter won both the Gr1 Computaform Sprint and Gr1 Mercury Sprint, and was also victorious in two runnings of the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
What A Winter (Western Winter ex Waseela) – the sire of Saturday’s USA winner Isivunguvungu (Pic – Drakenstein Stud)
Isivunguvungu is one of five Grade One winners for his sire thus far, with this tally including another champion sprinter in the form of Russet Air, as well as last season’s Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes winner Humdinger.
What A Winter had success on two continents on Saturday, with his four-year-old daughter Jet To The Sun winning the fifth race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.
The Drakenstein Stud sire is a grandson of Gone West, whose influence continues to be felt around the globe. Gone West’s grandson Munnings is the sire of Saturday’s Gr1 Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson Stakes winner Howard Wolowitz, while another grandson, Iffraaj, sired Saturday’s Gr1 Tarzino Trophy winner Grail Seeker.
Iffraaj is also responsible for outstanding stallion Wootton Bassett, whose son Royal Patronage won Saturday’s Gr2 Ikon Tramway Stakes at Randwick.
Isivunguvungu is out of the four-time winning Tiger Ridge mare Miss Tweedy, a daughter of the Danske sired Listed Breeders Guineas winner Dancing Penny. Miss Tweedy is closely inbred to Storm Bird, through the latter’s grandson Tiger Ridge with Miss Tweedy’s third dam, Song Of Freedom, a daughter of the Storm Bird horse Bluebird.
Inbreeding to Storm Bird has produced a plethora of top-class horses including Bricks And Mortar (Giant’s Causeway), Horse Of The Year in the USA in 2019. Egyptian Queen, dam of Global View, sire of reigning South African Horse Of The Year Dave The King, is inbred to Storm Bird’s dam South Ocean.
Miss Tweedy’s fifth dam, Gr1 Rosehill Guineas winner Deck The Halls (Father Christmas), also ranks as the third dam of 2014 Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner King Of Pain (Greys Inn).
The champion also hails from a very influential female line, with Isivunguvungu tracing back directly to the tap root mare Wild Arum.
The latter’s daughter Malva produced Epsom Derby winner and champion sire Blenheim II (Blandford) and Malva also ranks as the fourth dam of High Veldt (Hyperion), Champion Sire in South Africa in 1971-1972.
Wild Arum’s great granddaughter Gold Lily (Gold Bridge) also made a considerable impact on the stud book. Ancestress of Isivunguvungu, Gold Lily also appears prominently in the pedigrees of US champion Waya, Gr1 Prix Vermeille winner Walensee (Troy), and the latter’s star son Westerner (Danehill). The latter was Cartier Champion Stayer of 2004 and 2005 and twice won the Gr1 Prix Du Cadran over 4000 metres.
Gold Lily also rates as ancestress of South African champions Dancer’s Daughter (Act One) and Rain In Holland (Duke Of Marmalade), as well as 1991 Gr1 Gold Cup winner Icona (Green Dancer).
