West Bound bound for Gold Cup glory?

West Bound hopes to cap a banner year as he tries to add the PCSO Presidential Gold Cup crown to his growing list of victories at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite today.

Winner of the first two legs of this year’s Triple Crown series, the three-year-old chestnut charger leads a classy field of 11 gallopers competing for local horse racing’s most coveted Cup, which carries a whopping guaranteed purse of P2 million to the winner.

Considered as the high point of the country’s racing calendar, this year’s staging of the Gold Cup, held in honor of the President, will also be the richest in its 31 editions with a total purse of P2.875 million up for grabs to the top four placers.

Backed by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), in cooperation with host Manila Jockey Club, Inc. (MJCI), the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) and industrialist-horseman Don Antonio Floirendo, the 2,000-meter championship race flags off as the sixth race in today’s blockbuster race card.

"The annual running of the Presidential Gold Cup is a reaffirmation of the PCSO’s commitment to elevate the standard of local horse racing and provide the incentive for the improvement of the local breed. More importantly, the race also stands as a recognition of horse racing’s significant contribution to the economy and to the noble task of raising funds for charity as a partner of the PCSO," according to PCSO Chairman Ma. Livia "Honeygirl" de Leon.

Winner of seven races in 11 starts this year, and never been worse than second, the celebrated progeny of US-bred sire Hezagonewest out of Fair Maiden, will be attempting to become the first grandson of a previous Gold Cup winner to score a victory in the prestigious championship race. His maternal grandsire, Fair And Square, won back-to-back editions of the Gold Cup in 1981 and 1982, and has also sired two previous Cup champions, Sun Dancer (1989 & 1990) and Fair Start (1993).— Ramon Romualdez