Barbados Sandy Lane Gold Cup 2008
One of the premier events on the 2008 Barbados sports tourism calendar, the Sandy Lane Gold Cup horse race, has been set for March 1 at the Garrison Savannah.
The race, sponsored by the luxurious five diamond Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados, and open to foreign entrants, usually attracts race fans and sports coverage from print, radio and television journalists around the world.
When final nominations closed for this the 27th event in the series, the Barbados Turf Club (BTC) said 18 horses were down to run, six from overseas and 12 from Barbados.
Last years Sandy Lane Gold Cup winner, Whiskey For Me and the 2006 victor, Sharp Impact, lead the list of Barbadian entrants vying for the $200,000 purse in this prestigious race.
The other 10 Barbados horses nominated for the 2008 Gold Cup are Apostle, Atul, Border Secret, Duc D Fer, Favorite Player, John Brian, Pure Temptation, Storm Arrow, Who’s Wavering and Zarad.
Trinidad and Tobago is to send Storm Street, while four entries are due from Martinique: Capsulite, Demon Salsa, Laurandal and My Man. The lone nominee from France is Itzmo.
The BTCs Racing Operations Manager Chris Armond says two other big sponsored races will be run off on Gold Cup Day. They are the 2000 metres V1 Tanglewood Stakes and Trophy and the 100 metre V Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes and Trophy.
Three of the Gold Cup entrants have also been nominated to run again on March 1, Sharp Impact, Apostle and Border Secret. Sharp Impact will go again in the Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes and Trophy. The other two horses are nominated for the Tanglewood Stakes event.
For that race, Trinidad and Tobago is also to send three horses: Godspell, Chief Commander and Funkylikeahtrain.
The Gold Cup was first run by the Barbados Turf Club in 1982. The concept was to invite the best the Caribbean had to offer. It was not until the third running of the event that a Barbados horse recorded a win.
Trinidad and Tobago won the inaugural running with Bold Lewis, Martinique took the title in 1983 with Iron Lover and Tinkers Image gave Barbados its first win the following year.
Since then Barbados horses have carried off the Gold Cup 19 times out of the 23 events. Trinidad and Tobago won again in 1985 and 1988 with Frisky Wharf and Call to Account respectively. Canada took the trophy once in 2004 with Kathir and the United States won with Thady Quill in 2003.
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