A look back on the winners in Barbados of the Sandy Lane Gold Cup
The most popular racing event in the Southern Caribbean calendar is almost upon us – whether you’re the type to keep a constant eye on the horse racing results or you just fancy a good day out, heading over to Garrison Savannah this Saturday is a fine idea.
Over the years we’ve seen some truly astounding horses race down this historic track, starting from 1982, and before you settle in for a day at the races, let’s have a quick look back at some of the famous steeds who’ve carried their jockey and their team to victory.
Blast of Storm
Notable for being the first horse to win three consecutive races of the Gold Cup, Blast of Storm entered in 2000 at the age of 4 and was put out to stud by 2003 after winning every year he raced in. This impressive record has yet to be equalled and to commemorate it, a large bronze statue of Blast of Storm has been erected opposite the finishing line. His jockey was the equally well known Jono Jones who won a fourth straight victory in 2003 on Thady Quill and later went on to win the Queen’s Plate in Canada in 2008.
Sandford Prince
While Blast of Storm was the first horse to win three consecutive Gold Cup races, he wasn’t the first to win three different races. Sandford Prince won the Gold Cup on three separate occasions, two back-to-back, with only a brief interruption in 1990. While he may not have achieved the record Blast of Storm did, Sandford Prince was still an impressive beast in his own right.
Dorsett
Coming close to achieving the same feat as Blast of Storm, Dorsett has won two back-to-back victories in recent years with victories in 2016 and 2017, though he was 7 by the time of his last win. But his impressive performance was enough to earn him the prestigious title of Horse of the Year in February of 2018. Dorsett’s impressive performance under jockey Jalon Samuel surely impressed the members of the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeding Association and he was hotly tipped to win the 2018 race, but he was beaten by a horse who may be the new rising star.
Sir Dudley Digges
Ridden by the same Jalon Samuel who rode Dorsett to victory, Sir Dudley Digges was the winner of last year’s Gold Cup. He wasn’t alone in this victory, followed by Shining Copper with whom he shares a stable. What’s interesting for anyone thinking of backing a horse, is that Ken and Sarah Ramsey have been the breeders behind the Group 1 winners in 2014, 2015 and now 2018 – if you’re looking for a horse to back at the race this Saturday, you could do worse than a horse bred by these two!
If you’re not that interested in horse racing, it’s still worth your time to head on up to the Garrison Savannah for a day of great music, fantastic food and memorable company. And who knows, if you have a flutter you might even walk away a little richer!
