Batang Manda rules PGC

MANILA, Philippines — Batang Manda topped a 13-horse field in Sunday’s Philracom-PCSO Presidential Gold Cup at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas, giving former DILG secretary and member of the elite Philippine Horseracing Hall of Fame Benhur Abalos his fourth PGC crown.

Abalos’ four-bagger started off with Ibarra in 2008. Four years later, People’s Champ Hagdang Bato achieved the feat twice, in 2012 and 2014. Then came Batang Manda.

The 2024 PGC set the record for the highest purse in local horseracing history, with P12-million up for grabs to the top six finishers with P7.2-million going to Abalos’ and his crew led by Claudio “Jojo” Angeles as trainer and Patricio “Pati” Dilema as jockey.