KZN’s recently crowned 2016 Stallion Of The Year Kahal, saw his dual Gr1 placed daughter, an impeccably Summerhill-bred grand-daughter of the great Galileo, secure her first much deserved first Graded Stakes win in the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.
Intergalactic was one of five winners for the Sean Tarry stable on Sansui Summer Cup day. A R360 000 CTS Ready To Run Sales graduate, the daughter of Najoom is owned by Chris Van Niekerk and has now won over R700 000, after winning four times and placing 10 times.
Named in honour of a champion of the turf (who has a KZN connection, as the Scott Bros imported Ipi Tombe’s dam to South Africa before she was sold on), the Gr2 mile boasted an eleven strong line-up and after Intergalactic was slow out, the pace was on from the jump with Fort Ember showing the way.
When the favourite Negroamaro came forward with Polyphonic at the 500m to challenge Fort Ember, the race was on.
With the action down the middle, Polyphonic looked a likely winner as Negroamaro went one-paced and Tahini arrived on the scene.
It was anybody’s to win at the 200m. Despite taking forever to get going down the inside, Intergalactic found her best finish to hold off the persistent Polyphonic by 0,40 lengths in a time of 99,50 secs.
Intergalactic was nominated for two categories at the KZN Breeders Awards evening on Saturday night, and as Master Of Ceremonies Graeme Hawkins pointed out, “has thrown her name into the hat for next year,” with her scintillating performance.
The liver chestnut filly has placed twice just a length off Inara in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes and Garden Province Stakes, and three lengths off No Worries in the KZN Breeders Million Mile.
Her half-brother by Visionaire sold on Friday evening at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale for R340 000, purchased by Rainbow Beach Trading. This is the dam line of American super stars and sires amongst them Go For Gin, Pleasant Tap and Dont Say Halo. Intergalactic is certain to be an asset to stud whens he retires based on the strength of her pedigree.
Her sire, the deceased Kahal, is currently fourth on the sires log with a winners to runners percentage of 28.8%, lying behind sires Silvano, Captain Al and Trippi. Dynasty follows behind Kahal along with Jet Master, Var and Western Winter, by stakes earned.
Our National Champion Breeders, Summerhill Stud, collected their 10th KZN Breeders Award for Leading Breeder.
Other KZN news on Summer Cup day included Bull Valley (Toreador) and newly crowned KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year, Talktothestars (Overlord), placing second and third behind Trip To Heaven in the Gr2 Merchants.
Congratulations to all concerned.
– extract sportingpost.co.za