Fairway's Turf Online

Quechua sets for Gold Cup after big win

SINGAPORE: Oct 26, 2014

QUECHUA pulls away to win the El Dorado Classic - SNTC photo

Two years ago, the Singapore Turf Club introduced the S$150,000 El Dorado Classic as a tribute to one of only two horses who won the Singapore Gold Cup three times.

THREE RINGS captured the Gold Cup in 1954, 1956 and 1957 and it took a half century before EL DORADO emulated the feat in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

And if the results of the third running of the El Dorado Classic (2200m) today is guide, then we may just have witnessed another star in the making in QUECHUA.

The four-year-old came to Singapore with a solid reputation of having won two races and was placed five times in eight outings in his native Argentina, including a victory in the Group 2 Premio Clasico Ensayo (1800m) at San Isidro. He was also stakes-placed twice including a third in the Group 1 Grand Premio Miguel Alfredo Martinez de Hoz (2000m) also at San Isidro.

After finishing in the placings in his first three starts in Singapore, QUECHUA was off the mark in a Benchmark 74 - 2000m event four weeks ago and was again impressive when he won easily by two and a half lengths in the El Dorado Classic today, the traditional lead-up race to the Singapore Gold Cup on Nov 16.

As with SPALATO in the Luzerne Cup two races earlier, QUECHUA also rewrote the 2200m long course record with a time of 2min 13.94secs, taking 0.27 second off the previous best set by CANNON HILL last year.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE: Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position

	SUPER NINETYSEVEN 2013 STAKES
1	KRANJI STAKES D, DIV 3 - 1200M
8	GOOD BOSS	ZL Mok	J See	1
	(6 b.ir.g Danroad - On The Waterline by Compton Place)
10	Roma	H Takaoka	Zaki	2
5	Hakamgong	D Koh	T Rehaizat	3
4	Acoustic	S Burridge	Chavez	4

	FLAX 2012 STAKES
2	RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1200M
9	LIM'S RALLY	L Dragon	Soo	1
	(3 b/br.nz.g O'Reilly - Bella Valentina by Pins)
7	Great Sun	M Freedman	CW Brown	2
8	Hee's Forte	L Laxon	Saifudin	3
6	French Vintage	S Baertschiger	D Beasley	4

	ALWAYS CERTAIN 2011 STAKES
3	CLASS 3 - 1600M
7	SMART IDEA	B Marsh	D Flores	1
	(6 b.nz.g Keeninsky - La Romanina by Vialli)
5	Chinese Culture	M Freedman	Saifudin	2
6	Pole Paradise	ZL Mok	J See	3
2	Board Walk	P Shaw	R Zawari	4

	BETTER THAN EVER 2010 STAKES
4	KRANJI STAKED D, DIV 2 - 1200M
3	RED RIVER ROCK	B Dean	R Zawari	1
	(5 b.a.g Red Dazzler - Boganvillia by Centaine)
4	Demon King	M Freedman	D Beasley	2
2	Mexican Gal	L Laxon	J McDonald	3
1	Iking	M Walker	CW Brown	4

	LUZERNE CUP
5	OPEN (CW) - 1200M
1	SPALATO	O'Hara	J McDonald	1
	(5 b.nz.g Elusive City - Ellington by Express Duke)
4	Faaltless	S Baertschiger	D Beasley	2
2	Zac Spirit	C Brown	A Munro	3
3	Damo	P Shaw	N Juglall	4

	CHEYENNE DANCER 2009 STAKES
6	CLASS 5 - 1400M
3	AFTERNOON DELIGHT	S Gray	J McDonald	1
	(6 b.nz.m No Excuse Needed - Perennial Delight by Danasinga)
11	Single Star	M Yusof	T Rehaizat	2
10	Lady Power	H Takaoka	Zaki	3
8	Lucky General	Khoo	N Shahrul	4

	EL DORADO CLASSIC
7	OPEN (HCP) - 2200M
5	QUECHUA	P Shaw	CW Brown	1
	(4 b.arg.g Pure Prize - Queen Cabaret by Wild Event)
4	Cheetah On Fire	B Marsh	Z Zuriman	2
2	Emperor's Banquet	P Shaw	N Juglall	3
8	Valbuena	L Laxon	L Allpress	4

	CHEVRON 2008 STAKES
8	CLASS 3 - 1200M
3	DARCI CHARMER	M Clements	Soo	1
	(4 b.nz.g Darci Brahma - Star Charm by Cape Cross)
7	Bellwether	M Freedman	CW Brown	2
2	Room For Excuse	H Takaoka	A Munro	3
9	Warspirit	HW Tan	WS Chan	4

	RAFFLES CUP
9	SINGAPORE GROUP 1 (WFA) - 1800M
12	WAR AFFAIR	HW Tan	D Beasley	1
	(4 br.nz.g O'Reilly - Kristique by Kris S)
13	Goodman	L Laxon	CW Brown	2
4	Stepitup	L Laxon	J McDonald	3
10	Peaceful Warrior	D Kok	D Flores	4

	LIM'S OBJECTIVE 2007 STAKES
10	KRANJI STAKES D, DIV 1 - 1200M
1	HARDCORE ROCK	M Walker	L Allpress	1
	(4 b.a.g Fastnet Rock - River Dreaming by Galileo)
7	Top Gun	B Marsh	J McDonald	2
3	Invincible Gold	C Brown	CW Brown	3
12	Dynasty Knight	S Chua	M EWe	4

	LIM'S CLASSIC 2006 STAKES
11	CLASS 4 - 1200M
3	TOUCH ME NOT	M Clements	I Santana	1
	(3 b.nz.g Elusive City - Della Mimosa by Generous)
4	Media Captain	C Brown	CW Brown	2
6	Savage Storm	ZL Mok	Chavez	3
1	Beauty Supreme	C Brown	A Munro	4