IMBONGI landed a minor coup for the Mike de Kock yard when jockey Anthony Delpech drove him through a narrow gap between Modern Monet and Hamlool metres from the line to put his nose in front where it counted in Saturday’s R300 000 KZN Guineas over 1600m at Greyville. It was Imbongi’s second Guineas success after he won the Gauteng Guineas early in March.

Photo: Anthony Delpech rode Imbongi.

Imbongi had been claimed at 9-2 but went through the gates as the 5-1 second favourite behind 2-1 shot Russian Sage with Kilcoy Castle third on bookmakers’ boards at 7-1 and Umngazi (7-1) and Horatio (8-1) the only other runners quoted in single figures.

Delpech had Imbongi on the paint in midfield as first Umngazi and then the winner’s stable companion Hamlool set the pace. Hamlool went several lengths clear round the apex of the bend as Anton Marcus aboard Umngazi slowed the pace a trifle.

Modern Monet and Russian Sage were closing in on the leader by the 300m mark with Imbongi running on well. As Hamlool weakened, Modern Monet hung out and the gap between them closed, leaving Imbongi trapped for galloping room for a couple of strides. Once the Russian Revival gelding saw daylight, he lengthened his stride again and got up in the shadow of the post to beat Russian Sage with Modern Monet and neck back in third and Kilcoy Castle running on well for fourth.

A happy Delpech said afterwards: “I was coming through to win when I had to check him. He’s such a good horse, I gave him one smack (when we saw daylight) and it was race over. We were very confident about his chances today because he’s doing so well at home.”
(Source: TabOnline)