TODAY`S NEWS (Saturday) – another installment from BARBADOS, site of the GOLD CUP today with a big CANADIAN HOPE, 2 Americans lots of local horses and a super jockey contingent….
GOLD CUP DAY!
(STERWINS… the Canadian bred looking to conquer BARBADOS TODAY!)
It`s something a little different for THOROUGHBLOG – we are at the SANDY LANE GOLD CUP in Barbados today – 12 horses on the turf, right-handed course, tight turns…and in front of what figures to be a very large crowd.
Hope you have been following along as the `Blog has been posting links to stories regarding this island`s most pretigious race – certainly a big one in all of the Caribbean.
Two Todd Pletcher trainees are here – BRIBON and BAD ACTION, under the watchful eye of EDDIE WALCOTT JR.
The most popular horse will be STERWINS, the Canadian bred fellow who is now trained by »Mark Casse (was trained by Pletcher and Malcolm Pierce) who will have hundreds of fans in his owner`s camp today – EUGENE MELYNK has friends and family from all over here on the island.
TYRONE EVELYN reports in the Nation News that there is plenty of early pace in the race and that is needed for STERWINS, a confirmed stretch runner who will need luck along with his pace to rally in time.
FROM THE NATION NEWS, by Tyrone Evelyn
Excerpt:
The race is expected to be an extremely fast one, with three speedy creoles (locally-bred horses) – Apostle, Bouncebak, and Areutalkintome – in the line-up.
All three of these horses have shown a propensity for pushing the pace, but they have also shown that they are capable of staying on strongly at the finish.
The 12 runners have all been working well in their preparation for the event, and the three overseas horses, though not doing any spectacular work since they arrived almost a week ago, have impressed many railbirds with their looks.
The last time an overseas horse won the Gold Cup was in 2004, when Kathir won it for Canada
http://www.nationnews.com/news/sports/Lead—Going-for-Gold-copy-for-web
MORE FROM NATION NEWS::
THE CONSENSUS among most of the trainers who will have horses in today’s Gold Cup is that it’s going to be the best in a long time.
And they have put this down to the presence of three top-class overseas horses who will be throwing down the gauntlet to the nine Barbados representatives.
The three overseas entries are Bad Action and Bribon, both owned by Gay Smith; and Sterwins who will be representing Eugene Melnyk’s colours.
Here are the trainers’ comments.
Liz Deane (Preach To Me, John Brian): This will be one of the best Gold Cups ever. The standard of horses from the United States is high. I’ve not seen their likes before. Kudos to Gay Smith and Eugene Melnyk for supporting the race this year.
My horses are going OK. I am satisfied with their work. It’s great to see three creoles in the race; that’s good for local racing. I won the race with Whiskey For Me in 2007, and it would be nice to win it again. However, it’s a different horse race and anything can happen.
Andrew Nunes (Apostle, Grace Chapel): Apostle has bounced back to his old form. He’s a 100 per cent better now and is back to his best. He runs on the pace most times. He had a good draw last year but that didn’t help me. (Comments from Gold Cup Press conference when at the time Grace Chapel was still a reserve.)
http://www.nationnews.com/news/sports/Trainers-backing-their-horses-copy-for-web
