Real Gold overwhelms field in Triple Crown 1st leg

MANILA, Philippines — Real Gold won the initial battle of the country’s best three-year-olds, obliterating the eight-horse field that included undefeated and overwhelming favorite Obra Maestra to secure the first leg of the Philippine Racing Commission’s Triple Crown series Sunday at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

Sneaking in from fifth spot when the rest of the pack concentrated on favored pick Obra Maestra, Real Gold made its move from the outside in the last 400 meters, grabbing the lead in the final turn and sprinted home with a blinding burst that netted the John Paul Guce-ridden colt an eight-length win in the 1,600-meter race.

Real Gold proved to be a goldmine to its C&H Enterprise C&N conglomerate of owners Butch Mamon, Robert Ramirez, Jing Javier and Joseph Dyhengco as they pocketed the whopping top purse of P1.8 million, plus an additional P100,000 to breeder Dyhengco.

“We are ecstatic,” said Mamon during the awards rites, attended by Philracom officials, led by Chairman Andrew Sanchez, Alfonso “Boy” Reyno Jr., chairman and CEO of the Manila Jockey Club and Captain Mohammed Al Hashmi, racing manager of The Royal Horse Racing Club of Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

JAYZ of jockey JA Guce and owner SC Stockfarm finished runner-up and clinched the prize of P675,000, while Alfredo Santos’ Toy for the Big Boy, ridden by JB Cordova, pocketed P375,000 at third spot.

Obra Maestra (Jockey JB Guce), the overwhelming pick, suffered its first loss but still received P150,000 at fourth for owner Leonardo Javier Jr.

“Remate po kami. Naramdaman ko last 600, mananalo,” said Real Gold’s jockey JPA Guce, who added that it was their second major victory together, counting their Philtobo triumph a few months back. 

In the Philracom Hopeful Stakes, also ran in 1,600 meters, Shanghai Noon, ridden by OP Cortez and owned by Emmanuel Santos, captured the top prize of P1 million, with P30,000 awarded to breeder Kerby Chua.