Cojuangco Cup up at Smart Araneta
Leading Horse of the Year contender Low Profile and undefeated US-bred import Sakima headline a star- studded group of top-caliber runners invited to compete in the inaugural Henry Cojuangco Cup, a showdown of the best in Philippine thoroughbred racing slated Feb. 5 at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.
Also invited to the event are proven sprinter Skyway, runnerup to Low Profile in the 2016 PCSO Presidential Gold Cup and winner of the Philracom “Sampaguita” Championship last year and the PCSO Silver Cup in 2015; 2015 PCSO Presidential Gold Cup winner Dixie Gold, last year’s PCSO Anniversary Stakes and the Marho Classic winner Kanlaon, multiple stakes winning import atomicseventynine (USA), winner of the RW Challenge of Champions’ Cup, the fourth leg Philracom Import-Local Challenge and the inaugural Hagdang Bato Cup in 2016; giant-slayer Manalig Ka, recent winner of the Philracom Commissioner’s Cup over Low Profile and Skyway, and winner of two other Philracom Import-Local Challenge Races last year; surprise package Silhouette, big winner of last year’s Philracom Chairman’s Cup, as well as, up-and-coming Lakan, impressive wire- to- wire winner of a handicap race (HR10) last Sunday, easily routing a field of stakes race veterans despite carrying top weight of 58 kilos.
The 1,750- meter race is spearheaded by racing industry colleagues and associates of the late Tarlac first district Representative, Enrique ‘ Henry” Cojuangco, a “dedicated horseman and sports patron, whose passion for horse breeding and racing has served as an inspiration to many Filipinos involved in the thoroughbred industry.”
Henry Cojuangco, like his brother and business tycoon Danding Cojuangco, Jr., is an accomplished horseman both here and abroad, having bred and raced the likes of Philippine Triple Crown champion Skywalker and notable stakes winners in Australia like Turf Express and Gold Water.
Calling themselves the “Hapi Group,” eponymous to “Mr. Happy” – the late Henry Cojuangco’s monicker in thoroughbred circles, the group is dedicated to bringing back the fun and enjoyment of thoroughbred breeding and racing, which they believe should be the catalyst in encouraging and attracting new players and investors to the multifaceted sport of horse racing.
For a start, the Hapi Group, composed of emerging horse breeders, will be holding the “Hapi Racing Festival” bannered by the first Henry Cojuangco Cup and 11 other added-money Trophy Races to be named after locally- based stallions standing at stud for the 2017 breeding season.