The Vodacom Durban July may be a world away from the relative backwaters of the Listed PE Gold Cup. Well R4 100 000 and 909 km to be precise. And after the sensational headlines made by The Conglomerate six days earlier, it is difficult imagining SA’s champion owners getting excited about a R150 000 Listed race at Fairview.
But what a gutsy character their no-nonsense Crown Of Gold has proven to be!
Raymond Danielson gears Crown Of Gold down to a runaway record-breaking win (Pic – Coastal Photos)
Ingrid and Markus Jooste’s PE based trainer Tara Laing can feel justly proud of her third victory on the trot in South Africa’s longest race – a streak achieved largely through the bold exploits of a gallant staying son of champion sire Silvano.
The 7yo Crown Of Gold was registering an extraordinary third win in three starts in the stamina sapping test.
He skipped the race in 2015, when it was won by his stablemate Drill Sargeant – who vainly chased him home on Friday in an all conquering sweep for the Laing team – who celebrated a hat-trick of winners on the afternoon to keep the champagne corks popping.
While Drill Sargeant scooped the Stayer Of The Year Award in 2013, the last two years have seen Crown Of Gold lift that title, and he looks a shoe-in to achieve the feat for this season.
Raymond Danielson rode the winner
Crown Of Gold first won the PE Gold Cup in 2013 when still in the care of his original boss, Joey Ramsden – who coincidentally saddled last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July winner in the same silks.
In a nine horse field that lacked depth, beyond his 2015 PE Gold Cup winning stablemate Drill Sargeant, Crown Of Gold went off at 12-10 and lay in wait as they went at a crawl.
Raymond Danielson could wait no longer as they came for home in a drawn out uneventful race and he pressed the go-button as Crown Of Gold simply ran away from his field to beat Drill Sargeant by 5,75 lengths in a time of 241,39 secs.
The records show that was over 3 secs faster than his time set as a 5yo in 2014 – yet over 8 seconds slower than his 233.00 of 2013!
Tara Laing – terrific training feat
Bred by Midlands Equine, the winner is a R225 000 National Yearling Sale graduate.
He has won 9 races with 14 places from 38 starts and R766 160 in stakes.
He is by Silvano out of the Australian bred Palace Music mare, Palace Bride. She has produced stakes winning progeny from 1200m to 3600m.
This smart family includes the likes of Silver Mist (Western Winter), Shades Of Indigo (Indigo Magic) and Ze Kaiser. The first two were also trained by Ramsden.
Crown Of Gold took his career earnings with Friday’s victory to R1 018 660.
He has now won 12 races from 1800m to 3600m with 17 places from his 45 starts and looks to have something left in the tank yet – in this centre where he is the undisputed king of the long road!
Well done Team Tara.
