How good does this make Ebony Flyer?

Surely too much emphasis is being placed on the margin of victory and the number of horses that were close at the finish.
That is typical of both Greyville and the July, due to the nature of the track and the size of the field, isn't it?

There once was a bloke called Barry,
a huge ego on his shoulders he did carry.
While it was meant to be Igugu's night,
Barry tried to steal the limelight
And the forumites are as UN-happy as Larry.

Sa racing gaaaaaaning on about a handicap.....IGUGU is a decent sort but frankly she ran to form or maybe just a bit above form. To gaan aan about a "3 year old " filly a few weeks before she turns 4 is mental.

Had it been a proper handicap and she received LESS from PJ then i wonder if the result would have been the same!

Mrs Rupert has promised us the biggest every racing prize for next years Queens Plate. Mrs Rupert will deliver.
Now I believe Dermot Weld will be bringing something from Ireland and maybe Godolphin will be enticed.

Let's look at the locals.

Older horses


Past Master and Dancewiththedevil

4 year olds

Igugu and the Rupert part owned Ebony Flyer
The poor crop of the past seasons 3 year old colts

3 year olds

The Bass trained Delago Deluxe
Gimmethegreenlight
Princess VIctoria


Forget about any other Cape features. If the above horses are in the country and fit and well they will be aimed at this race.

The Rupert's will put on the biggest racing spectacular this country has ever seen. Forget about Met's and July's, the 2012 Queens Plate is the standout race of the next racing season.

www.lqp.co.za

How good or scared is Ebony Flyer of Igugu?

Perhaps an injury was fabricated to retain Cape pride,after watching Igugu work in KZN.

With the july win,MDK raised the bar here wrt the weights.Horse Chestnut avoided this race becos of the huge weight it would have been lumped with.

Igugu is a champion filly,and can be compared to any horse that raced in SA prior to the international campaigns,where they enhanced their reputations further.

well done mdk & connections.

Karel Miedema Wrote:

---

> Let me put it differently.
> At the weights, who recorded the highest rating?
> Hint: it wasn't Igugu.

Just for interest, whom did you rank as the line horse? I ranked English Garden who seemed to me to run closest to his rating. Would this be correct? If so, then Pierre Jourdan would have run below his rating. This has got me scratching my head as I think PJ ran a great race at the weights.

Barry's question is a very good question. Whatever we think he implied all he did was ask a question.

What I find quite funny is before the race many people say that igugu will need to be a superstar to win. She wins with no horse making a real impression on her and that still seems not good enough for some.

I do believe that igugu does lack a real turn of foot but her cruising speed, stamina and heart are her best assets.

I presume we will see her at the sheema next year...

I look forward to Igugus future gather its Dubai? She could also pick up the Gold Cup on the way?

I did not expect this filly to win the July - She did and in my book she is a champion - She beat everything SA had to throw at her - With tears in my eyes what more must she do to prove how good she is? In any other country a triple tiara(crown) winner that then won the contry's richest race would be regarded as a Champion.

element Wrote:

---

> In my book a horse that wins the July is a
> champion!!

You need a new book. Even his biggest fans would never suggest that Dunford was a champion, amongst others. As Karel says, the word "champion" is bandied about too easily.

On the subject of champion? A horse can only beat what they race against and if you don't consider IGUGU a champ? It can only be based on the opinion that you think we have poor horses running currently.

I wonder how long it will take to find another filly to win the TT and July in one season? If this acheivement is not worthy of Champion status then I think I do not understand the meaning of the word. I hate the South African approach of always trying to knock down our sportsmen - Celebrate her victory whether you though she would win or not