THE GOLD CUP
This year’s golden run (7 furlongs) again provided another quirky twist of racing fate, which has become a part of its fabric over the 47 years of its existence.
Gold Cup 2021 happenstance started with the late scratch of the piping hot ante-post favourite Mahogany leaving a field of six horses.
As it unfolded, the race was dominated by the two three-year-olds Calculus – the eventual winner and Further and Beyond - second.
Calculus at 14-1 was not expected to be effective at seven furlongs but under the guidance of Paul ‘Country’ Francis, was surprisingly early and thereafter benefitted from a fortuitous stroke of luck to continue his peer dominance over Further and Beyond.
The jockey on board Further and Beyond, Christopher Mamdeen was not able to assist his mount fully after losing his right stirrup with about four furlongs left in the contest. Sitting upright in the saddle thereafter, Mamdeen, to his credit continued to ride Further and Beyond for all he was worth and only succumbed to the late surge of Calculus in the final half-a-furlong.
It is the view of THE QUICK GALLOPER that the outcome of the 2021 Gold Cup would have been different if not for the crippling twist of racing fate that befell Further and Beyond.
The history books will now record a third Gold Cup victory for Francis having done so in 2006 on the Fitznahum Williams trained Justsomethroughts and again in 2013 on the Everal Francis conditioned Commanding Chief.
For the trainer of Calculus, Gary Subratie, it also his second having won with Hail The Genius before in 2010.
THE QUICK GALLOPER congratulates the connections of Calculus and may it be the recalibration necessary for the Derby and St Leger winner to compete in the top grade for a long while.
The effort by Further and Beyond was a demonstration of his improved status as this was his first attempt in the Open Allowance/Graded Stakes grouping.
Given natural progression as a three-year-old, Further and Beyond will have many days in the sun.
THE HORSES
The noticeable performance on the day, taking out the Gold Cup, was the debut run by the Ian Parsard trained Jordon Reign’s. Jordon Reign’s, a foreigner, was hampered by injuries in the early part of his career. Parsard has taken his time getting this one ready and the fruit of his patience and time paid off for him.
Jordon Reign’s was an impressive winner coming down the five straight in a time of 58.3 seconds despite darting from the outside to the inside track.
THE JOCKEYS
While Robert Halledeen with two winners was the leader, THE QUICK GALLOPER is paying attention to two jockeys, Ruja Lahoe and Javaniel Patterson.
Both started their apprentice year among the top lot of their cohort with Patterson the more prominent of the two. Lahoe then suffered an injury that has curtailed his progress.
Now there seems to be a revival by Lahoe, as he has been visiting the winners’ enclosure more in recent times.
Patterson made a good start to 2021, then he backed off a bit. Of late, Patterson is finding himself again and has 25 wins to his credit to be eighth in the jockeys’ championship.
Let’s hope both Lahoe and Patterson will continue their efforts.
Have readers of THE QUICK GALLOPER’S noticed the frequency with which jockey Oshane Nugent is falling from his mounts? Nugent fell from Primal Fear on Saturday, October 9, 2021, and then yesterday (October 23, 2021), he was down twice on Tina’s Account and Pleasant Secret. Just a thought.
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Further and beyond in my opinion would have won if not for the loss of stirrup irons.of note is the fact that his trading regime had been more “relaxed”of recent which apparently contributed to his performance
True, notice has been taken.
My sentiments as well
poor jockey o.nugent they call him juinor.so many times falling in so short of a time.fans of caymanas are watching..they might just christen him from now on as DROPPY.
Harsh words