Despite a chequered preparation and having to be incarcerated in the Kenilworth quarantine station for the past few nights due to veterinary regulations, the Mike De Kock-trained filly fought out a grinding finish with top-weighted Bravura to gain the upper hand close to the finish line.

The four-year-old emulated the achievement of Politician in the '70s in winning the Vodacom (then Rothmans) Durban July and then the Met in consecutive racing seasons. Victory yesterday raised her stake earnings to R5684375.

Igugu has won 10 races and the world is her oyster, if De Kock can overcome the export difficulties posed by African horse sickness.

Igugu faced an uphill battle at Kenilworth after illness interrupted her preparation and a preparation gallop at Randjesfontein turned into something of a fiasco.

Despite looking a little thick around the girth, she galloped to the start with resolution, as did Ilsanpietro, Run For It, Beach Beauty, Gimmethegreenlight and Astro News, most of whom ran with distinction.

Astro News was one of the first into stride and was in the vanguard for most of the way, but Bravura, who had been a close fourth in the Queen's Plate, set a pedestrian pace that tested Igugu's powers of acceleration in the dash to the line.

The three-year-olds Gimmethegreenlight and Astro News were in close attendance as Bravura held sway in the final 400m, but Igugu began making progress in the centre to collar the pacemaker just short of the post.

Bravura was brave in defeat, going down by less than half a length, with Gimmethegreenlight running on well for third and an unlucky Run For It flying up late to capture fourth position. Less than two lengths covered the first seven horses past the post.

Igugu's jockey, Anthony Delpech, showed the pressure he had been feeling during the post-race interview. He said Igugu had been short of peak fitness and hadn't been suited to the slow pace. She struggled early on and hadn't felt her normal self. But he was emphatic she is one of the great horses a jockey only encounters a few times during his racing career.