TODAY, WEEKEND?SPORT’s racing correspndent Lindon Yarde completes his assessment of the horses competing in this this year’s Sandy Lane Gold Cup, which will be run off at the Garrison Savannah, tomorrow.NOMINEEAn American-bred five-year-old horse owned by Antonio Navarro had been selected to take the bacon back to Trinidad and Tobago.
This son of Awesome Again out of La Portal looks a very interesting prospect.
From 14 starts, he has landed four wins, a pair of seconds and thirds and four fourth places finishes. After reeling off his first win, a 1 300-metre event, he was sent to compete at a route distance for his last seven outings. The Kirk Dasilva-trained horse gave warning of his intentions to rule at the top as he wired the field in the Champagne Stakes on the turf.
Only on two occasions has he failed to secure a place position. His other turf run was even more impressive as he annihilated seven other equines over 1 600 metres. It would seem based on his resume that the further they go; there is every likelihood that he would find a place position no matter the type of surface.
In tomorrow’s race he will reunite with Panamanian-born Trinidad and Tobago rider Nobel Abrego, who is no stranger to winning big races at the Garrison Savannah. Can he keep his unblemished turf record in tact by winning the Gold Cup when racing in the opposite direction? MAJOR?MARVELMajor Marvel, an American invader will be the star attraction for the Caribbean’s pattern event. The Gold Cup contender owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey has campaigned religiously at the one mile and a sixteenth distance. His overall record reflects 22 wins across America and Canada from 53 starts.
He has won 16 of 36 turf starts supported with four seconds and two thirds. This son of Bernstein out of Ms Isadorable has won in just about every company he has competed against romping home a whopping eight out of nine starts last year including winning seven straight races.
A front end horse he previously won a seven-furlong race on the all-weather Woodbine race track in 2011 under his Gold Cup jockey Patrick Husbands. In his last 19 starts, he has gone off as even money favourite, a clear indication of what the public thinks of him at the various tracks.
He has traversed the likes of Gulfstream Park, Church Hill Downs, Saratoga, Belmont Park, Keenlands, Fair Grounds, Louisiana Downs and Woodbine Race Track. DASHING?DAVIDThe Sir David Seale-owned Dashing David is coming into the race with 13 starts under his belt with three wins in Britain.
After winning his very first outing over five furlongs at Nottingham, he subsequently won two seven-furlong races. His three attempts at a mile yielded a fourth place finish at best in the United Kingdom. In his lone preparation race at Gulfstream Park he finished at the rear of the field in a Grade II event.
Considering it was an 11-furlong event in top class company, that run was should not be considered a bad effort when compared to who he is going to be meeting here in the Gold Cup. Expectations are high for him as he is believed to be Hopefield Stable’s best chance to lift an eighth Gold Cup title.
