Nicholas Oakes

Old Home Week is fast approaching and with it the deadline for entries for The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer.

As with any year, rumours of possible entries are in great supply, but there are some that seem plausible unless a horse races poorly in the next two weeks or circumstances change.

With Maritime connections abound, Rockin In Heaven seems like a strong possibility for trainer Teesha Symes, a native of Springhill, N.S., along with Nova Scotia owners Doug Polley of Amherst and Gordon McComb of Fall River. The six-year-old winner of $698,000 has already won this season in 1:49.2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario.

Fool Me Once was recently purchased for $65,000 U.S. in New Jersey for the stable of Patrick Shepherd, originally from Stratford, who co-owns the $1.1 million winner with Carl Kuepfer and Gary Volpe of Ontario. The pacer was ninth in his debut for Shepherd, but if he has a solid showing in the next week expect to see him in the entry box in 10 days time.

Jamie Copley has been to Old Home Week numerous times before as the native of Inverness, N.S., has sought to win this prestigious race. With a pair of powerful half-mile pacers in his possession in New York, it is not a stretch to think Saulsbrook Lanny and Avatar J will be here. Both horses are in the U.S. under the care of Andrew Harris, who has been to Old Home Week before with Lucan Hanover. Saulsbrook Lanny won his latest start in 1:52.2 at Yonkers Raceway while Avatar J was a recent winner in 1:52.4.

Driver Jody Jamieson has been in the Gold Cup and Saucer before, but this race has eluded him this far in the World Champion’s career. His wife Stephanie Jamieson is rumoured to be bringing Asap Hanover to the East Coast for the Gold Cup and Saucer with the talented pacer just race timed in 1:50 over Mohawk for owner John Mehlenbacher of Oakville, Ont.

Mehlenbacher may have another entry in the race with faithful Old Home Week trainer Rene Allard rumoured to be bringing Somewhere Fancy for the owner. The winner of $582,165 was a winner over the half-mile oval at Saratoga, N.Y. in 1:51.1 in June. Allard will likely show up with more than one entry, along with previous Gold Cup and Saucer winning trainer Ron Burke of Pennsylvania who generally has two entries.

There is also some firepower in the local brigade with Exhibition Cup-champion Rose Run Quest possible for owner Blair Hansen and trainer Bo Ford. In Spades acquitted himself well in that race finishing second for Austin Sorrie and owner Walter Simmons of Summerside to make him a legitimate entry.

Governor’s Plate-champion Czar Seelster would not be out of place in the trials for trainer Todd Weatherbee and owner Tammy Johnston, as well as Euchred for owner Kayla Habicht Walker of Nova Scotia and trainer Terry Gallant. Not to leave out last year’s Gold Cup and Saucer finalist Do Over Hanover.

Nova Scotia will likely have a strong showing in the trials as Ms Mac N Cheese became a real threat after scorching the half-mile oval at Inverness Raceway Wednesday evening with a 1:54.4 mile for owner-trainerdriver David Ratchford of North Sydney. It has been exactly 25 years since the last mare, Little Black Book, won this race, but Ms Mac N Cheese certainly has the talent to break that trend with a lifetime record of 1:50.4 of her own.

The picture will become much clearer during the Gold Cup and Saucer press conference trial post position drawn on August 7. Until then it is nothing more than speculation.