Mike de Kock landed the Cape Fillies Guineas, the first G1 feature of the Cape Sizzling Summer Season, with the exciting Australian-bred filly Rumya at Kenilworth.
Brilliantly ridden by Anthony Delpech, Rumya gave De Kock his first Guineas win landing her second G1 victory in only four starts.
"We were prepared to lead, but the pace was on and that played into my hands,” said Delpech.
Delpech was content to sit on the rail off the pace and made up the ground quickly to hit the front at the 300m.The Mike Bass-trained Hammie’s Hooker finished strongly from a long way back to finish second, just a neck back, although she never looked like catching the winner.
The Glen Kotzen-trained Jet Aglow ran on well to take third.
De Kock said that Rumya’s preparation had not been “straight forward” and her previous run had not been planned.
He spoke highly of the grey’s pedigree, pointing out that her third dam Emancipation was one of the best fillies to ever race in Australia.
He added that she was still “leggy and immature” and would stay further and might stay in Cape Town in order to take part in the G1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m on January 12.
Rumya had to stay in a vector-protected environment at the Kenilworth stables due to a recent outbreak of African Horse Sickness in Gauteng.
Fortunately, they didn’t have to be locked up from dusk to dawn in the Kenilworth Quarantine Station the way Igugu had to be before her J&B Met victory last January.
Rumya lined up as one of the least experienced fillies but her class was evident following her rout of her rivals in the G1 Golden Slipper at her second start at Greyville in July.
She made her seasonal bow in a six-furlong graduation plate at Turffontein on November 20 but was far from impressive extending her unbeaten record but de Kock delivered her at the top of her game for the Guineas.
Rumya was bred and retained by Sheik Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.
Her dam Sayuri San is a three-parts sister to the dam of the UAE Oaks winner Raihana, who was also trained by De Kock and is a granddaughter of the champion Bletchingly mare Emancipation, the 1984 Australian Horse of the Year.
Emancipation raced 28 times for 19 wins including the Doncaster Handicap, Chipping Norton Stakes, George Main Stakes, George Ryder Stakes, All Aged Stakes, Edward Manifiold Stakes, Coolmore Classic, Light Fingers Stakes, Canterbury Stakes, Hill Stakes, Chelmsford Stakes and Apollo Stakes.
Emancipation's daughters Virage (Kenmare) and La Suffragette (Palace Music) have produced the multiple G1 winners Virage De Fortune (Anabaa) and Railings (Zabeel).
