Australian-bred filly Mahbooba has been crowned Champion 2YO Filly for 2009-10 at the South African Equus Awards in Johannesburg.  Mahbooba is by Galileo from Red Ransom mare Sogha and was bred by her owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa.

The Mike De Kock trained filly beat fellow finalist Happy Archer (Dubawi) and two local breds to take out the honours.  After winning on debut at Greyville over 1200m, Mahbooba finished third in the Debutant Stakes and fifth in the Allan Robertson Championship at stakes level over 1200m before winning the  Group 1 Golden Slipper over 1450m.

Mahbooba is from the last Australian-bred crop of foals by outstanding sire Galileo and is the first foal for Sogha who was purchased for $300,000 at the 2004 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.  Sogha won three races at Muswellbrook and Scone and is a three-parts sister to French Group 3 winner in Slew the Red.

Mahbooba’s success follows the winning streak for Australian-breds in South Africa over the past three years that has seen them capture eight Group 1 races from only 4% of the racing population.  Export numbers to South Africa have continued to rise over the years attesting to the success of Australian horses in South Africa.