SHARP IMPACT UPSETS IN THE
XXV SANDY LANE BARBADOS
GOLD CUP (GR. I. - INT. - BAR)
BY CHARLIE HEATH
Mrs. Gay Smith's 6 year old dark bay horse SHARP IMPACT made it a pole to pole victory in the 25th running of the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup (GR. 1- INT.- BAR).
All eyes were on Luther Miller III's J.P. FEET ON FLAMES as he was the favoured horse to win the prestigious race for the second time on the Fifth Day of the Barbados Turf Club's First Racing Season, however owner Gay Smith, trainer Robert Peirce and jockey Patrick Husbands BSS had other ideas.
When starter Mark Batson sent the ten horses on their way it was SHARP IMPACT with Patrick Husbands BSS that went to the front followed closely by FEET ON FLAMES with Anderson Trotman and PEACE ANGEL.
Turning into the straight for the first time it was SHARP IMPACT in the lead with ATUL moving up to second and FEET ON FLAMES third.
With five furlongs to go SHARP IMPACT was still leading; FEET ON FLAMES had moved up to second; ATUL was third with DUC D FER starting to make a move whilst ZARAD with Jono Jones aboard was in fifth just off the pace.
With three furlongs to go ATUL was still tracking SHARP IMPACT. ZARAD had moved up to third whilst FEET ON FLAMES had dropped back to fourth.
Turning for the final run home the Robert Peirce trained SHARP IMPACT was showing no signs of stopping as stable companion ZARAD started to unleash a challenge whilst FEET ON FLAMES was going nowhere in third and was under pressure. At this stage the 3-year-old ATUL was back peddling.
SHARP IMPACT hit the line first followed by ZARAD second; FEET ON FLAMES held on for third from a fast finishing INLUCK who came from way off the pace to be fourth.
The win gave trainer Robert Peirce his first Gold Cup victory and to make it even sweeter he also saddled the second place horse ZARAD.
The time of the race was 1:50.3 seconds a full two seconds off the record held by BLAST OF STORM and THADY QUILL and only equal to the D class track record set by the creole KEEFECT in 1998.
It was the second Gold Cup win for Husbands BSS as he rode the 1990 winner VARDAR.
Owner Gay Smith owns both SHARP IMPACT and ZARAD the only owner in the history of the race to own the horses finishing first and second. She also won the Gold Cup in 2003 when THADY QUILL did the job for her.
They were two other feature races on the ten race card.
The first to be run off was the III Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes & Trophy (GR. I - BAR). In this one LIGHTNING PILOT and CAPTAIN P.J. set a merry gallop but as they reached the two furlong pole they were joined by MORETHANAWOMEN. In the end the Victor Cheesman trained MORETHANAWOMEN lengthened her lead and was an easy winner. LIGHTNING PILOT was second with I'AM A LUCKY NATIVE coming from a long way back to finish third whilst MILLIONDOLLARNOBLE was fourth.
The other feature was the IV Tanglewood Stakes & Trophy (GR. IR - BAR) and it was the Clayton Greenidge trained KABUL that made every yard in 2000 metre event. Second was the consistent SANTA FAYE; HERE AND NOW was third and DON ANGELSONNY fourth. KABUL is without question a great creole. He has now won 17 of his 26 starts and has earned over $364,000; in addition he has won at every distance at the Garrison.
The star of the day was jockey Patrick Husbands BSS. He won three races on the ten race card including the feature XXV Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup (GR.I. - INT. - BAR)
Jockeys Anderson Trotman and Andy Ward along with apprentice Shane Collymore each rode two winners.
Trainer Andrew Nunes was the only trainer to saddle two winners, whilst Robert Peirce saddled the first and second place horses in the XXV Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup (GR. I. - INT - BAR).
Racing continues on March 18 with the feature event being the MICHAEL PARRAVICINO MEMORIAL HOPEFUL BREDDERS' STAKES & TROPHY (GR. IIRB. - BAR) in which the leading contenders for the 2006 Triple Crown races such as ZOUK, ALPORT, FIRST CLASS TICKET, FIRST EDITION, POECTIC JUSTICE, QUEEN OF SHEBA and VAN HELSING are expected to be in the line-up.