Lord Michael Taylor's thoroughbred, "Pure Temptation", ridden by Anderson Ward, stormed home ahead of a 12-horse field to win the 2008 Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup, the richest race in the Caribbean, at the Garrison Savannah in Barbados on March 1st, 2008.

Barbados horses took the first three places in the 1800 metre Gold Cup that attracted six foreign entrants, four from Martinique and one each from France and Trinidad and Tobago.

In the driving finish that saw just three necks separate the first four horses, second place went to "John Brian" with Rickey Walcott aboard, "Apostle" ridden by Anderson Trotman placed third and "Duc D Fer" with Juan Crawford up was fourth.

Before the event, the thousands of fans at the Garrison were treated to the annual pre-race show, with the mini-skirted Gold Cup dancers, flag-waving stilt walkers and the music of the Royal Barbados Police Band.

For Barbados-based Briton, Lord Taylor and his Clifton Racing stable, it was the first Gold Cup win, but the second for jockey Ward, who romped home ahead of the pack in the 1999 event on Attie Joseph's "Peace Envoy".

Jockey Ward also rode a winner in the 1100 metre Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes and Trophy, piloting Lord Taylor's "Primed 'N' Loaded" to victory, ahead of "Who's Cruisin'" with Crawford up and "Sharp Impact", ridden by Jonathan Jones.

In the day's other feature race, the 2000 metre Tanglewoods Stakes and Trophy for West Indian bred four-year-olds, "Walk on By" with Rickey Walcott aboard, took the top spot, with "Border Secret" ridden by Trotman second and "Godspell" piloted by Richard DosRamos, third.

This year's was the 27th running of the Gold Cup, a key event on the 2008 Barbados sports tourism calendar. The race is sponsored by the up-market west coast Sandy Lane Golf and Country Club Resort, the island's lone five diamond tourism property.

Article Posted on:
March 3rd, 2008

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