By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterONE OF the season's last major sponsored races, the $1.25 million UBA Gold Cup, marks its 33rd running at Caymanas Park tomorrow with a star-studded field of 12 down to face the starter.
Included in the line-up are last year's winner HERECOMESFUDGIE; two-time winner I'MSATISFIED; the reigning 'Horse of the Year' A KING IS BORN; this year's Red Stripe Derby and Superstakes winner, DISTINCTLY IRISH; the recent Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint champion JACK DE PRINCE and also CAPTAIN BONE, who won the Red Stripe Mile for imported horses on November 13.
Significantly, 13-time champion trainer Philip Feanny holds a very strong hand with as many as six starters A KING IS BORN, DISTINCTLY IRISH, I'MSATISFIED, HERECOMESFUDGIE, CAPTAIN BONE and Superstakes runner-up SATISFIER. Others, such as the Red Stripe Sprint runner-up COURT CASE, and the fleet-footed American colt LIL'COUNTRY BOY, should ensure a truly well-run race.
DISTINCTLY IRISH (56.0kg) should start favourite with his November 13 Superstakes victory still fresh in the memory. Leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths, who has choice of rides among the Feanny-trained horses, has elected to stay with DISTINCTLY IRISH, leaving four-time champion, Charles Hussey to ride top weight A KING IS BORN (58.0kg) and Allen Maragh to partner I'MSATISFIED (57.0kg).
Champion jockey Trevor Simpson will once again ride JACK DE PRINCE for outgoing champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, while the 2000 champion jockey Shane Ellis has the leg over stable companion LIL' COUNTRY BOY, whose role is apparently that of pacesetter for the late running JACK DE PRINCE.
RAN ON STRONGLY
While it would appear that Feanny has this race at his mercy with any one of four horses DISTINCTLY IRISH, A KING IS BORN, I'MSATISFIED and HERECOMESFUDGIE vastly improved JACK DE PRINCE working very well has what it takes from his convenient mark of 51.0kg, to crash the party.
He ran on strongly after walking out of the starting gate as usual to upstage A KING IS BORN at level weights in the recent Red Stripe Caribbean Sprint and if able to leave the gates promptly, should make a good race of it.
But indications are that it will be another Philip Feanny show, starring DISTINCTLY IRISH, his half brother A KING IS BORN, I'MSATISFIED and HERECOMESFUDGIE, who looks rather tempting at the weights.
The race is being sponsored for the second consecutive year by the United Bookmakers Association comprising Track Price Plus, Markham Betting Company, Champion Betting and Capital Betting and Wagering.
