THE BARBADOS GOLD CUP – THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS HORSE RACE IN THE CARIBBEAN
By Christopher J. Armond
The Barbados Gold Cup was run for the first time by the Barbados Turf Club in 1982.
The original concept of the event was to stage a race to attract the best horses of the major racing countries in the Caribbean namely Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Martinique.
The inaugural race proved to be a resounding success as not only did horses from the twin-isle republic come over to compete in the country’s top thoroughbred event, they won it with Bold Lewis (USA) ridden by Irishman Declan Gillespie.
The very next year also saw the locals tasting defeat as on this occasion victory went to the Martiniquan invader Iron Lover (FR) under to the skilful guidance of Englishman Bryn Crossley.
Tinkers Image (GB) in 1984 finally rested the cup for the locals as Mrs. Gill Wilson’s iron grey hung on in a desperately close finish in the hands of young Bajan apprentice Ricky Griffith.
Over the next four years (1985-1988) Barbados and Trinidad shared the major spoils with two wins each. In 1985 Emile Ramsammy rode the first of his three Gold Cup winners aboard Frisky Wharf (GB) for trainer Joseph Hadeed and Trinidad.
Ramsammy also was astride the Barbados entry Stangrave Park (Ire) in 1987 and Call To Account (GB) for his native Trinidad in 1988, whilst Venice ‘Pappy’ Richards pilot the first of his four Gold Cup winners, Bentom (USA) for popular Barbadian Owner David Seale (now Sir David) in 1986.
For the next fourteen (14) years (1989-2002) Barbadian based horses dominated the Gold Cup with outstanding individual performances coming from Sandford Prince (GB) who won the event in 1989, 1991 and 1992 ridden by the remarkable Venice Richards on each occasion, and Blast Of Storm (IRE) the only horse to win the race three consecutive years 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Blast Of Storm (IRE) was the sixth of seven winners of the race trained by the legendary William ‘Bill’ Marshall, the perennial leading conditioner in Barbados for the past twenty years. The wiley maestro added to his tally in 2003 when he saddled Mrs. Gay Smith’s Thady Quill (USA) to victory under Jono Jones.
For Marshall and Jones it was their fourth consecutive victory in the Caribbean’s premier race, and the win tied Jones with Richards for the most victories by a jockey in the Gold Cup.
From its humble beginning in 1982 the Barbados Gold Cup, sponsored for the first fifteen (15) years by Cockspur Rum and since 1997 by Sandy Lane Hotel, has grown to be the most prestigious and significant race in the Caribbean.
For the past three years it has been beamed live to a worldwide audience on Television Games Network (TVG) and for the last three years has been preceded by the Gold Cup Festival, a series of events which includes family days, fish frys, Broadway shows, a celebrity dinner, a celebrity golf tournament and a parade through the streets of the capital, Bridgetown.
It is now attracting horses from North America and Canada owned by some of the worlds leading investors in thoroughbred racing and it would be fair to conclude that the magnificent Gold Cup which is won outright by the winning owner is amongst the most sought after trophies in the world.
We salute the champions of the past tweny-five Gold Cups. The continuing success of this great Caribbean Horse Racing Classic is all owed to the spirited contest between these winners and the gallant contenders that spurred them on.
The Barbados Turf Club salutes them all
| Year |
Horse |
Jockey |
Country |
| 1982 |
Bold Lewis (USA) |
D. Gillespie |
Trinidad |
| 1983 |
Iron Lover (FR) |
B. Crossley |
Martinique |
| 1984 |
Tinkers Image (GB) |
Ricky Griffith |
Barbados |
| 1985 |
Frisky Wharf (GB) |
Emile Ramsammy |
Trinidad |
| 1986 |
Bentom (USA) |
Venice Richards |
Barbados |
| 1987 |
Stangrave Park (IRE) |
Emile Ramsammy |
Barbados |
| 1988 |
Call To Account (GB) |
Emile Ramsammy |
Trinidad |
| 1989 |
Sandford Prince (GB) |
Venice Richards |
Barbados |
| 1990 |
Vardar (FR) |
Patrick Husbands |
Barbados |
| 1991 |
Sandford Prince (GB) |
Venice Richards |
Barbados |
|
1992 |
Sandford Prince (GB) |
Venice Richards |
Barbados |
|
1993 |
Chou Chou Royale (IRE) |
Sandy Hawley |
Barbados |
|
1994 |
Alto Jane (GB) |
Richard Quinn |
Barbados |
|
1995 |
Asian Jane (GB) |
Richard Quinn |
Barbados |
|
1996 |
Rambrino (GB) |
Chris Griffith |
Barbados |
|
1997 |
Incitatus (BAR) |
Dale Whittaker |
Barbados |
|
1998 |
Federico (BAR) |
Simon Husbands |
Barbados |
|
1999 |
Peace Envoy (GB) |
Anderson Ward |
Barbados |
|
2000 |
Blast Of Storm (IRE) |
Jonathan Jones |
Barbados |
|
2001 |
Blast Of Storm (IRE) |
Jonathan Jones |
Barbados |
|
2002 |
Blast Of Storm (IRE) |
Jonathan Jones |
Barbados |
|
2003 |
Thady Quill (USA) |
Jonathan Jones |
United States of America |
| 2004 |
Kathir |
Slade Callaghan |
Canada |
|
2005 |
Feet On Flames |
Anderson Trotman |
Barbados |
|
2006 |
Sharp Impact |
Patrick Husbands |
Barbados |
| 2007 |
Whiskey
For Me |
Ricky Walcott |
Barbados |
| 2008 |
Pure Temptation |
Anderson Ward |
Barbados |