Crown Of Gold stays on best to beat Paddy O’Reilly in the Listed Glenlair Trophy. They clash again on Saturday
The Silvano gelding Crown Of Gold was labelled the ‘fittest horse in Africa’ by his trainer Tara Laing as Port Elizabeth’s big hope for Gr1 Gold Cup glory.
The Port Elizabethans have a fair record in Africa’s premier staying race from very few attempts and after the late Arthur Miller’s Stateway won it in 1994, Alan Greeff sent out the 2001 winner Cereus to register his personal first Gr1 victory.
And the enthusiastic Tara Laing will be hoping that history will repeat itself. She has had a terrific season with 45 winners and a win strike rate of 11% from a small string. She trains exclusively for Mayfair Speculators and has held her own licence for two years.
She believes that Crown Of Gold has a serious chance in the big race as he is super fit and stays all day.
“He is a dual PE Gold Cup winner and when Raymond (Danielson) jumped off last time after the 3600m win, he said he would have gone another 1000m without a hassle. That was on soft going!” she said.
Tara Laing is looking for her first Gr1 on Saturday
Sadly for Tara Laing, unlike her fit gelding, she cannot claim to be ‘Africa’s fittest trainer’ and is currently in bed suffering a bad bout of bronchitis.
“But come hell or high water, I’m getting on the plane and I will be there Saturday morning to meet my boy at Clairwood,” she said with steely determination.
On his travel plans, she said that Crown Of Gold had his final workout today before being loaded for the long trip.
“We expect him to get to Bloemfontein early Wednesday evening and they will take him out for his supper and a stretch of the legs. He should be in Clairwood with Vaughan by 11h00 Thursday morning. Kevin Shea is coming out on Friday morning to give him a canter. When he wakes up on Saturday morning, I will be there!”
Crown Of Gold will be one of two Gold Cup runners carrying the Ingrid and Markus Jooste silks, the other being Mike De Kock’s Canterbury Tale.
Crown Of Gold has won 6 races from 1800m to 3600m and was formerly trained by Joey Ramsden out of Milnerton. He was bred by Midlands Equine and hails from a top family. His dam is the a-grade producer Palace Bride(AUS) by Palace Music.
Raymond Danielson, who has been aboard in Crown Of Gold’s most recent two wins opted to ride Magic Smoke for Mike Azzie. But Tara has found a very capable (albeit more mature) replacement.
“Kevin Shea phoned for the ride. One would think that he is a fair substitute for Stingray Danielson,” she laughed.
Crown Of Gold is available at any price for the big race.
