Narrow Creek-bred Isivunguvungu will get his American campaign off to a start this Saturday for Hollywood Syndicate. He is a stable mate to Beach Bomb who recently finished second in a Listed race last weekend for Drakenstein / Cayton Park Stud, trained by Graham Motion.
He will race on Saturday 7 September 2024 at Colonial Downs at 22:55 (South African time) over 1100m, drawn from gate 5 with Manuel Franco in the saddle.
The winner of the Gr1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint and Gr1 Mercury Sprint, he was trained by Peter Muscutt prior to his export. The 5yo gelding Merit Rated 130 when he left South Africa, is by What A Winter out of Tiger Ridge mare Miss Tweedy. It is an Australian female line that hails back to King Of Pain.
The Hollywood Syndicate put a lot of thought process into naming their horses, and Hollywoodbets brand ambassador Odwa Ndungane, who played wing for the Sharks rugby team, suggested the name “Isivunguvungu” which is the Zulu word for “storm”. Odwa said the name given to the What A Winter gelding related to the feeling he had when running on to a rugby field.
Isivunguvungu was crowned Equus Champion Sprinter for the 2022 / 2023 season. Narrow Creek Stud enjoyed another good season with over 40% winners to runners and R5,573,488 in stakes earned. Some of their horses to keep an eye on for the coming season will be Khetiwe’s Destiny, another owned by Hollywood Syndicate, and Buffalo Bill Cody.
Headline image: Devin Heffer and Odwa Ndungane prior to Isivunguvungu’s debut run.
