Veteran Raul strikes in Gold Cup

PENANG,   27 Dec 2009
 
RAUL holds off WORTH THE WAIT to win the Gold Cup

RAUL, who is enjoying a new lease of life, has joined an elite band of horses to have won both the Singapore Gold Cup and the Yang Di Pertua Negeri Gold Cup (previously known as the Penang Gold Cup).

At the age of five in 2004, RAUL (Hideyoshi - Whisper To Me by Beau Sovereign), then trained by Laurie Laxon, took advantage of a light impost to lead all the way in the Singapore Gold Cup (2200m).

Five years on, RAUL has done the same in the RM1m Yang Di Pertua Negeri Gold Cup, run over the same distance of 2200m, here today.

With just 51kg on his back, RAUL, ridden for the first time by apprentice Lou Ho, made all the running in the set-weight event to win by three quarters of a length from another former Singapore galloper WORTH THE WAIT (Generous - Wait by All Glory). The ever consistent FREE SPIRIT (Citidancer - Star Party by Star Pak) finished third.

RAUL's effort is all the more remarkable consider that he was written off after two two barren years at Kranji in 2007 and 2008.

Shipped to Malaysia to be under the care of Evert van Breukelen, RAUL has resurrected his career in grand style with four wins this season.

In Ipoh last month, RAUL disposed off four rivals to win the RM250,000 Astro Wah Lai Toi Charity Cup (2000m) by 15 3/4 lengths which was run on a heavy track.

His win today proved that the Charity Cup success was no fluke and provided Ho with the biggest win of his career. "It's my first Cup win after going close a couple of times in the past." 

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 CLASS 5 - 1700M

12

 Gutsy Power S Liew M Ewe

1

9

 Mighty Greg J Tan Sofhan

2

17

 Inner Sanctum K L Chong K M Lai

3

18

 D'Mighty Kingdom J Tan K T Cheng

4

2

 DA MA CAI STAKES,  CLASS 4 - 1700M

5

 Constable R Lines Chavez

1

10

 Duke Greg J Tan Aify

2

9

 Beau Grande B T Lim I Fadzlei

3

12

 Tomahawk Noordin Kumarentheran

4

3

 DURHAM LODGE TROPHY
  RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1400M  

12

 Secretariat Prince Thwaites Samsir

1

4

 Geruasio J Tan Sofhan

2

3

 Natural Tycoon R Lines S H Lee

3

11

 Perhaps K H Ng Yan

4

4

 EQUINE CAPITAL CUP
  CLASS 3 - 1400M      

6

 Speed Honour Lam J Low

1

15

 Winchester Wonder Robert Sivan

2

2

 Big Dawn Tiang Cooksley

3

4

 Fire Kingdom McGillivray Saifudin

4

6

 LYNDHURST STUD TROPHY
  CLASS 3 - 1400M      

2

 The Able One Hoy Yan

1

3

 Greatly Tiang S Ruzaini

2

5

 Century Lord Tiang I Fadzlei

3

14

 Footbridge F Nathan Samsir

4

7

 JAPAN BLOODHORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION TROPHY
  CLASSES 1 & 2 - 1400M      

2

 Sanjuan B T Lim H S Gill

1

7

 Kim Emma Sukri J Low

2

3

 Time Speed K Coetzee Azhar

3

4

 Emit Time S H Tan H K Lim

4

8

 YANG DI PERTUA NEGERI GOLD CUP - 2200M

9

 Raul E Breukelen L Ho

1

8

 Worth The Wait B T Lim I Fadzlei

2

1

 Free Spirit K L Chong Djulkifli

3

5

 Good Nature K Coetzee Saifudin

4

9

 WASHPOOL LODGE TROPHY
  CLASS 3 - 2000M      

3

 Be An Angel B T Lim H S Gill

1

2

 Sakima B T Lim Chavez

2

5

 Fantastic Gift Sukri R Burnett

3

7

 It's My Magic R Rogers H K Cheng

4

10

 CLASS 5 - 1200M

1

 Championship Seet Saifudin

1

6

 Walk The Like Robert Salee

2

8

 Tower Of Strength Maynard L Ho

3

10

 Diamond Melang K H Ng K W Leong

4

11

 CLASS 5 - 1200M

5

 Cool Of Fire Maynard Saifudin

1

10

 Checkpoint Charlie S Cook Woodworth

2

3

 Tien Ching McGillivray Azhar

3

8

 D'Mighty Victory J Tan Sofhan

4