Sigy (horse)

Sigy (foaled 9 March 1976) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was best known for her exploits as a two-year-old in 1978, when she won her last three races culminating with a win over colts and older horses in the Prix de l'Abbaye. At the end of the season she was rated the best racehorse of her age and sex in Europe. Her three-year-old career was disappointing, although she did win the Prix du Gros Chêne. She later had some success as a broodmare.

Sigy
SireHabitat
GrandsireSir Gaylord
DamSatu
DamsirePrimera
SexMare
Foaled9 March 1976[1]
CountryFrance
ColourBay
BreederRoland de Chambure
OwnerGhislaine Head
TrainerCriquette Head
Record11: 5-0-3
Major wins
Prix d'Arenberg (1978)
Prix de l'Abbaye (1978)
Prix du Gros Chêne (1979)
Awards
Timeform rating 132 (1978), 119 (1979)
Honours
Top-rated European two-year-old filly (1979)
Top-rated French-trained two-year-old (1979)
Timeform top-rated two-year-old filly (1979)

Background

Sigy was a big, powerfully-built bay mare, bred in France by Roland de Chambure. She was sired by Habitat, an American-bred, British-raced miler who became one of the leading European stallions of the 1970s and 1980s. His other progeny included Habibti, Marwell, Rose Bowl, Flying Water and Steinlen[2] and he was the British Champion broodmare sire on three occasions.[3] Her dam, Satu was a successful racehorse who won the Prix Fille de l'Air in 1968. She was broodmare owned by the Cliveden Stud in England when she was covered by Habitat in 1975 but was sold, with Sigy in utero for 10,500 guineas at Newmarket in December 1975. Sigy's racing career was guided by the Head family: she was owned by Ghislaine, trained by Criquette and ridden in most of her races by Freddy.[4]

Racing career

1978: two-year-old season

On her racecourse debut, Sigy finished third behind Promise of Joy over 1000 metres and then won a maiden race over the same distance at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse. When moved up in class for the Group One Prix Robert Papin over 1100 m on 30 July she finished fifth behind Pitasia, Promise of Joy, Some Guy and Irish River. In August, Sigy ran in the Prix de la Vallee d'Auge over 1000 m at Deauville Racecourse and showed improved form to win by four lengths. The winning time of 56.80 seconds beat the previous course record, set by Nonoalco in 1973, by half a second. In early September, Sigy met Promise of Joy for the third time in the Group Three Prix d'Arenberg at Chantilly Racecourse. She decisively reversed the previous form, leading from the start and winning by four lengths. On 1 October, Sigy was moved into weight-for-age competition for France's most prestigious sprint race, the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp Racecourse. She started second favourite at odds of 19/10, with the betting being headed by the Irish-trained three-year-old Solinus, the winner of the King's Stand Stakes, the July Cup and the William Hill Sprint Championship. As in her two previous races, Sigy led from the start, established a clear lead and was never seriously challenged, winning easily by three lengths from Solinus. Timeform described the performance as the best by a two-year-old over the distance since Deep Diver won the same race in 1971.[4]

1979: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut, Sigy started the 1/5 favourite for the Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp on 6 May but finished third, beaten seven lengths by the five-year-old King of Macedon. On 19 June she showed signs of a return to form in the Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly, leading from the start and winning by two and a half lengths from Lanngar. The filly was then sent overseas for the first time and moved up in distance for the six furlong July Cup at Newmarket Racecourse, but looked unimpressive before the race and finished last of the eleven runners behind Thatching. On 7 October at Longchamp, Sigy attempted to repeat her success of 1978 in the Prix de l'Abbaye. She started the 6/1 fourth-choice in the betting but finished last of the thirteen runner field behind the British-trained four-year-old Double Form. Two weeks later, over the same course and distance, Sigy appeared for the final time in the Prix du Petit Couvert and started the 6/4 favourite. She led until the last 200 m but faded to finish fifth behind the two-year-old Manjam.[5]

Assessment and honours

In the inaugural International Classification, a collaboration between the official handicappers of France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, Sigy was rated the best two-year-old filly in Europe two pounds behind the leading colt Tromos and level with the leading French colt Irish River. The independent Timeform organisation rated her the best two-year-old filly of the season with a rating of 132.[4] During the 1970s the only two-year-old fillies to be more highly rated by the organisation were Jacinth (133 in 1972) and Rose Bowl (133 in 1974).[6] In the following year she was rated 119 by Timeform, while the International Classification rated her sixteen pounds inferior to the top-rated Three Troikas and eleven below the top sprinter Thatching.[5]

Stud record

Sigy produced at least eight foals, three of whom won important races.

Pedigree
Pedigree of Sigy (FR), bay mare, 1976[1]
Sire
Habitat (USA)
1966		 Sir Gaylord (USA)
1959		 Turn-To Royal Charger
Source Sucree
Somethingroyal Princequillo
Imperatrice
Little Hut (USA)
1952		 Occupy Bull Dog
Miss Bunting
Savage Beauty Challenger
Khara
Dam
Satu (GB)
1965		 Primera (GB)
1954		 My Babu Djebel
Perfume
Pirette Deiri
Pimpette
Creation (GB)
1960		 Crepello Donatello
Crepuscule
Cyclorama Panorama
Gadabout (Family:14-c)[11]

References
  1. "Sigy pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  2. "Habitat". Pedigreepost.net. 2002-02-03. Archived from the original on 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  3. "Leading Broodmare Sires of Great Britain and Ireland". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  4. Timeform staff (1979). Racehorses of 1978. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-27-8.
  5. Timeform staff (1980). Racehorses of 1979. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-29-4.
  6. Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third ed.). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
  7. Timeform staff (1985). Racehorses of 1984. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-40-5.
  8. Timeform staff (1988). Racehorses of 1987. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-46-4.
  9. "King's Signet Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2014-01-13.
  10. "Zary Statistics". Equibase. Retrieved 2014-01-13.
  11. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Pretty Polly – Family 14-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
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