PENANG,  15 December 2006

RAUL, winner of the 2004 Singapore Gold Cup, KING'S CARNIVAL and EXPUNGE will carry the Singapore hopes in the RM1.35 million Yang Di Pertua Negeri (Governor) Gold Cup in Penang on Sunday.

They will try to emulate the feat of LIGHT OF SUCCESS, then trained by Len Treloar, who made the trip up north and won the 2200m handicap in a thrilling finish.

Last year, two Kranji trained horses contested the Gold Cup for the first time in six years after the resumption of cross-border racing earlier in the season. (KING AND KING, who finished a smack fourth, went on to win the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on his return to Singapore.)

RAUL (7 br.a.g Hideyoshi - Whisper To Me by Beau Sovereign) was placed in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the Chairman’s Prize and Raffles Cup before winning the Singapore Gold Cup two years ago.

But he has failed to reach such lofty heights again, managing just one win since. However, two starts back, he showed some of his old dash when fourth to MR LINE in this year’s Singapore Gold Cup and so cannot be ruled out in Penang.

Although KING’S CARNIVAL (5 ch.a.g Don’t Say Halo - Partner Me by Steel Glow) has scored thrice at Kranji, he has yet to reproduce his form in Australia where he scored thrice and was fourth to PLASTERED in the Group 1 Western Australian Derby over 2400m.

EXPUNGE (5 b.a.g Gilded Time - Prime Again by Marooned), winner of four races in Australia including the Kyneton Cup over 2000m, has started eight times at Kranji, winning over 2200m and is thus well suited over the distance.

The Steven Burridge trained WHO IS JIMMY failed to secure a berth in the line-up.