Sugar Mike carry TT Gold Cup hopes

SUGAR MIKE will attempt to give Trinidad and Tobago their first victory in 16 years in today’s 23rd running of the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup.

And top Barbadian rider Jono Jones will be going after his fifth straight victory in the race at the Garrison Savannah, Barbados, astride Shap Impact. Owned by Bertwin “Mike” Samlalsingh, Sugar Mike who was voted “Horse Of The Year” at the Jetsam Awards in January, has done everything asked of him in his preparatory gallops leading up to today’s race, and hopes are high the Grant Lourenco-trained five-year-old would return home with the Bds$114,000 winners cheque.

The biggest fear for turfites though, is that the son of Ponche/No Sugar has won all his races at home with the use of Lasix, but will not be allowed to use this drug  in today’s 1800 metres contest, because of  restictions against its use by the Barbados Turf Club. Lasix is a drug used on horses to prevent the possibility of bleeding. Jones, son of ex-South Caribbean champion jockey and now trainer Chally Jones, will be seeking a fifth win in the rich event aboard Canadian-based runner Sharp Impact. His four previous wins in the region’s most prestigious horse race placed him on level terms with another former champion jockey Venice Richards.

Peace Envoy will also establish a record in the event one way or the other. The 12-year-old will be making his fifth appearance in the tough contest. But while hopes of the three teams are high on wresting the main prize, most of the trainers with horses in the staying event last won by Thardy Quill, agreed on one thing, that the race will be very competitive and choosing the winner will be a difficult task.