There was a tearful end to the Vodacom Durban July at Greyville racecourse yesterday when the winner of two years ago, Big City Life, broke its left front leg just past the winning post and had to be put down by the course vet.
Both owner Raymond Deacon and trainer Glen Kotzen described it as an “absolute tragedy”.
“The horse lost its footing before the finish line. We had to euthanase it. There was no other way. You win one, you think you are on top and then something like this happens. It’s the highs and lows of horse racing,” said the teary-eyed owner.
Chief steward Sean Parker said that these incidents did happen from time to time in racing. “It is most unfortunate,” he said. “Especially on such a big day.”
The star of yesterday was July favourite Igugu. The filly gave a commanding gallop to beat the cream of the country’s thoroughbreds in Africa’s greatest horse race.
Igugu proved as precious as her name and gave jockey Anthony Delpech a dream ride to get home a length ahead of Pierre Jourdan and English Garden with The Apache, Bulsara and Big City Life filling the minor placings.
An ecstatic Delpech celebrated victory, standing up in the irons as he crossed the finish line and giving the 55 000-strong crowd his customary victory salute.
Trained by Mike de Kock, Igugu is owned by Sheik Mohammed bin Kalifa Al Maktum in partnership with Andre and Joyce MacDonald.
A panting Delpech said he could never have done it without “The Boss” (De Kock). “He’s a genius.”
“The plan could not have worked out better. I easily got over from my draw and got there for free. It wasn’t our plan to lead, so thank God Happy Landing went to the front and I was able to tuck in second.”
In the home straight, Delpech always had Igugu travelling sweetly and she responded with all she had, to hold off the late challenge from the Gary Alexander-trained Pierre Jourdan.
Co-owner MacDonald was overcome with emotion and got racing TV presenter Nico Kritsiotis to give his victory speech.
However, he did say his whole family was shouting so loudly that he thought they pushed the filly over the line.
It was trainer De Kock’s fourth victory in the race and the second with a three-year old filly after Ipi Tombe won 2002.
It was also Delpech’s fourth win and he was following up on his victory last year on Bold Silvano.
Dougie Whyte, fresh from his eleventh Hong Kong championship, rode a perfect race to finish second on Pierre Jourdan, but found the filly just too good. - Sunday Tribune