Defending champion back in Gold Cup and Saucer
The busiest week in Atlantic Canadian harness racing is heading right for us and the defending champion will return for the 2019 edition of The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer.
This year is the 60th edition of the East Coast classic and 2018 winner Somewhere Fancy will be here to defend his Eastern Canadian honour. The Rene Allard-trainee won last year’s race in 1:50.4 over the Charlottetown Driving Park with Simon Allard in the bike for owner John Mehlenbacher of Oakville, Ont. He has already won in 1:51 over Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania this season.
Bet On Brett is set to return again for the Gold Cup and Saucer for owners Allard Racing of Quebec and Island owners Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge and Matthew MacKay of Granville. A fifth-place finisher in last year’s edition, Bet On Brett has three wins in 2019, including a 1:52.2 over the halfmiler at Yonkers Raceway in New York.
As with the Gold Cup and Saucer rumour mill every season, compiling a definitive list can be shaky at best as the final start by each horse in the coming days will make the final decision as to if they’re coming or not. All the connections of these horses have been discussing coming east for Old Home Week 2019. The definitive answer will come during a media conference and official draw on Tuesday.
Trainer Nick Gallucci may be here for his first Gold Cup and Saucer trial appearance with Ghost Dance and Fancourt. Ghost Dance has been consistent in 1:51-1:52 this season in Ontario but has yet to score a win while Fancourt is racing the preferred class at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a victory in 1:49.1 at that track in June.
Summerside native Dr. Ian Moore is a strong possibility with Astronomical pacer Casimir Richie P, who won the preferred class at Mohawk his last two starts in 1:49.4 and 1:49.2.
Rockin In Heaven was here for the 2018 edition of the race and may be returning after a 1:51.2 win at Mohawk recently for trainer Teesha Symes and his Nova Scotia owners.
Avatar J sits on two straight wins at Rideau Carleton Raceway outside Ottawa in 1:521:53. His connections have been home for the race before as the American Ideal five-year-old is owned by Island natives Jody Sanderson, formerly of York Point, and Dean Larkin, formerly of New Glasgow. Jamie Copley trains the pacer.
National Debt is rumoured from the Yves Tessier stable of Quebec with the eight-year-old pacer recently winning 1:52.2 over Rideau Carleton.
Lets Wait And See is another prospect from the Ontario scene for trainer Scott Friend and regular catch-driver Colin Kelly, a Cape Breton native who has family living on P.E.I. The horse is entered in the preferred class Monday evening on Grand River Raceway’s half-mile surface.
The Cullen family has been here before searching for a win in the Gold Cup and Saucer and will return for the 2019 edition. Dreamfair Bj is slated to come east for trainer Jodie Cullen fresh off a third-place finish in 1:50.2 over Mohawk.
Midway Island is a rumoured fresh acquisition for Cullen from the Ron Burke stable of Pennsylvania. The Somebeachsomewhere five-year-old just won in 1:49.4 over Pocono Downs.
Kingston native Anthony MacDonald is set to take Brave World home for the big race after recently buying the horse for his Thestable.ca online ownership group. Richard Moreau trains the 20-time winner that stopped the clock in 1:51 on July 13 on Mohawk.
Some U.S. entries are possible including leading Freehold Raceway, N.J., trainer Nick Surick.
Expect the field to be rounded out by capable East Coast pacers like Sock It Away, Do Over Hanover, Half Cut, Rose Run Quest and maybe even the Reg MacPherson-owned three-yearold Carlisimo, who is racing the Ontario circuit.