KINGSTON, Jamaica - SPONSORED by the Cigarette Company of Jamaica in the then promotion of one of its most important brands, the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup had its inaugural staging in 1967, and sundry sponsors have been involved over the years.
This has been the most interesting handicap event in the annual racing calendar for different reasons ranging from insufficient entries, lack of sponsorship, and most recently the 2020 novel coronavirus pandemic, there were also no renewals in 1986, 1989, 1998 and 1990.
Conceptually, the distance of seven furlongs, now 1400 metres, was considered ideal as it held out the possibility of out-and-out sprinters, middle-distance campaigners, and genuine stayers winning. For example, in 1987 the Gold Cup was won by that year’s Derby winner Monday Morning, with Calculus matching that feat 34 years on in 2021.
At the publication of the weights, the owner of top handicapper Mahogany requested a review of the handicapping process, citing as a basis the light impost of dual Classic (1000 Guineas & Derby) heroine Atomica. Whatever adjustment was arrived at had no effect, however, on the outcome of the event run as the 1400-metre tenth and final. Although well-fancied Atomica (2-5) fifth and Jordon Reign’s (5-2) fourth had their gallops interrupted for lack of space in the backstretch, no further excuses for these market leaders can be proffered with any credibility.
Mohagany (5-1), partnered by Reyan Lewis, controlled the second half of the event and was dominant from 400 metres out to score by three lengths. This makes a mockery of being deemed lame at the end of his last race and the rumour his preparation had not gone well.
Trainer Ian Parsard had his second winner on the card here having saddled 1-9 favourite Brinks (Dane Dawkins) to score in race nine, run over 1400 metres.
The 1100-metre opening event was won by Storm Valley (2-1), trained by Delroy Wisdom and ridden by Nicholas Hibbert.
In the second event over 1200 metres restricted to juveniles, Dick Cardenas rode the first of two successes aboard Durocell who scooted in 10 lengths clear for trainer Patrick Fong’s sixth win from 78 seasonal declarations this season.
Trained by Ryan Darby and piloted by Paul Francis, Khai Alexis (4-5) toyed with her half-dozen rivals during a runaway of fourteen and a half lengths over the 1820 metres of race three.
Race four, run over the 1000-metre straight course, ended in the second wide-margin victory — 19 and 14 lengths, respectively — for the late-developing, 1-5 backed Last Lick (Chalrick Budhai) conditioned by Gordon Lewis.
Following a sequence of three third-place finishes, Gary Griffiths’s 4-5 fancied Magic Bullet (Christopher Mamdeen) scored by just over one length in the 1400-metre fifth event.
Linton Steadman, not nearly as active as a rider of his ability suggests he should be, won his seventh of the season aboard the Michael Marlowe-conditioned Joe (3-1) in race six contested over 1200 metres.
Race seven, run at 1820 metres was won by the curiously named Sonny T And Chippy (7-5), trained by Spencer Chung, to give former two-time champion reinsman Cardenas his second trip to the winners’ enclosure on the day. Sent off at odds of 15-1 in the 1000-metre-straight eighth, Gary Subratie’s in-form sprinter Alexa’s Dream, starting for the first time in Non-Restricted Overnight Allowance company, outsprinted six rivals to give Raddesh Roman his 14th winner from 124 opportunities this season.
The Training Feat Award is presented to Gary Subratie for the presentation of Alexa’s Dream who came from off the pace to display the Best Winning Gallop, benefiting from the skills of Raddesh Roman who claims the Jockeyship Award.
