Aristodemus made it look so easy in elite company as he ran away with the 32nd Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup in ideal racing conditions at the Garrison Savannah, yesterday.
Without much fanfare, four-year-old chestnut Aristodemus, by Giant’s Causeway out of Ethyl Mae, handed the Hopefield Stables their seventh Gold Cup and second in a row when he cruised to a ¾-length victory in the weight for age race over 1 800 metres for three-year-olds and over horses.
Owned by Sir David Seale, Aristodemus gave stable jockey Anderson Trotman an excellent ride and his second win in this prestigious event.
Apostle and Erados were first to hit their stride out of the gate, followed by Show Me The Money, Just Call Me Roger, Aristodemus, Discreetwon, Kendal Moon, Daga, Graeme Hill, Dancin David and Meteorite.
The leaders took them to the quarter pole in 26.1 seconds, the half in 50.1, and the three-quarter in 1:15.2.
By the time they reached the mile pole Apostle shortened his stride, leaving Erados and Show Me The Money to battle. With the mile clocked in 1:40.1, Aristodemus switched to the outside to make his move, with Daga in hot pursuit.
When the field turned into the home stretch, Aristodemus still had more than enough to overtake Erados and Show Me The Money and hold off a determined Daga under jockey Kyle Carter and win in 1:50.4 seconds.
Meteorite, a back marker for most of the race, closed nicely under Antonio Bishop to capture third place while last year’s winner Dancin David, also trained by Gold Cup-winning trainer Liz Deane, came from way back in the field to take fourth with jockey Jason Leacock aboard.
Trinidadian hopeful Just Call Me Roger, racing mid-pack for the first five furlongs, finished at the back of the field.
The other major disappointments were leading creoles Show Me The Money and Apostle, who finished second to last.
Giovedi, after giving a fair amount of trouble at the start, was a non-starter in the event that was watched by hundreds of Barbadians and visitors.
The Gold Cup followed an electrifying performance from the Sandy Lane Majorettes and the Royal Barbados Police Force Band.
The day’s other two feature races on the sixth day of the Barbados Turf Club’s first racing season were won by favourites. Mark Armstrong-owned Aston Martin took the weight-for-age 11th Tanglewood Stakes and Trophy for West Indian-bred four-year-olds and older over 2 000 metres, while H&M-owned colt Shared Adventure easily won the Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes and Trophy, a grade one weight-for-age race for three-year-olds and older over 1 100 metres.
