Asian Racing
Bea Bell out to Break Cup Hoodoo
Bell Racing’s stable star Bea Bell, will be out to smash a twenty-five-year hoodoo for fillies and mares in the 53rd running of the Presidential Gold Cup, at the PJC’s new Padre Garcia racing circuit this Sunday.
The race carries record prizemoney of P15,000,000 (A$380,000), and, for the first time in its history has been awarded Group 1 status (domestic), a first for Philippine racing.
It's been a long lean spell for fillies and mares in the nation's most prestigious race, with the last mare to win the time-honored event being Crown Colony (Regent Street Can), ridden by Antonio Alcasid Jr. Crown Colony won the race in 1994 as a four-year-old mare; she is one of only four mares to win the race in the fifty-two running's to date.
According to available records Fiorella, a daughter of the former Champion Italian 3YO colt Appiani, was the first mare to win the PGC in 1976 under Jesus Guce. Four years later the aptly named chestnut mare Red Annie (Red Loki NZ) won the race, and yes under that man again Jesus Guce in 1980. Guce was dubbed "El Maestro" (The Master) and is renowned as the Philippines greatest ever rider; he won the PGC a total of six times.
Sun Dancer, the daughter of dual cups winner Fair and Square (1981 -1982), has been the only filly to win the race when she ran away with the Cup in 1989 as a three-year-old, for Jesus Guce's great rival Eduardo Domingo Jr, who incidentally, is the second most successful jockey in PGC history with five victories. Sun Dancer and Domingo Jr partnered up again the following year to emulate her sire Fair And Square, and make it back-to-back wins in 1990.
When Bea Bell and regular rider Jonathan Hernandez line up at the gates at 4.00 pm on Sunday, the four-year-old grey mare will be out to break the jinx, and write herself into the history books. Jonathan Hernandez, one of the great riders of the Philippines modern contemporary era, has already won the Cup on two occasions, riding the people's champion Hagdang Bato, in 2012 and 2014.
Bea Bell, is a daughter of He's Had Enough (USA) from the Argentinian mare Tocqueville. She was bred by Bell Racing Farm who have been on a roll since the new Padre Garcia track opened, with ten winners in the past month. Her win in the 30th Marho Breeders Race first up after an eleven-month absence, was nothing short of sensational when he demolished her opposition. Some of the same runners she faces again on Sunday.
Resident trainer for Bell Racing Donato Sordan, pulled off a training masterpiece with Bea Bell first up and by all reports the mare has thrived since; she goes into Sunday's race second up. The old-time trainers often referred to a below par performance in a horses second run from a spell, as "second up syndrome." That said, put aside the history books and disregard your syndromes, Bea Bell is the definitely the one to beat come Sunday.
Jungkook (Low Profile Phi), is a winner of 13 races and will be ridden by Kelvin Abobo who will attempt a hit and run visit from Australia, where he is currently based with Queensland's Champion Trainer Tony Gollan. Jungkook is a real class act but has been sparingly raced of late; he has not raced since July 17 when he won the PCSO Silver Cup over 1800 meters, but has been topped off lately by two recent barrier trials.
Don Julio (Adios Reality USA), was runner up in the Cup last year to Batang Manda (Ultimate Goal USA), and is always a force to be reckoned with in the big cup races, but he is still yet to win at 2000 meters. Basheirrou is another quality racehorse and a winner of eight races, but is still to win at 2000 meters, and, after his last start third to Bea Bell, meets her the same at the weights on Sunday.
Easy Does It (Eagle Scout USA) ran fourth in the race last year, and was second to Jungkook in the Silver Cup. He is worth consideration as a minor player here. Ghost (He's Had Enough USA), is a top class racehorse when he is on song and had excuses last start, when he over reached in the run and struck his near foreleg and pulled up sore.
The Presidential Gold Cup weekend racing, is complimented by the Philippine Thoroughbred Owner & Breeders Organizations (Philtobo) 26th Anniversary Celebrations. Their flag bearing race is the Anniversary Cup Race over 1650 meters carrying prize money of P2,000,000.
With 19 races set down for decision over Saturday and Sunday, a total of P25,700,000 (A$650,000) in prizemoney is up for grabs. That's a new record for Philippine racing, and continues the great resurgence in the local racing industry, spurred on by the rise of The Philippine Jockey Club's Padre Garcia complex.
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