Multiply shocks top pick Ibarra

MANILA, Philippines - Far second favorite Multiply turned in a solid run to humble fancied Ibarra and rule the P2 million Amb. Eduardo M. Cojuangco, Jr. Cup, local racing’s open championship for imports and locals, via a seven-length romp at San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

Superbly handled by Jeffril Zarate, the four-year-old Australia-bred campaigner stalked Ibarra going into the first three-quarters of the punishing 2,000-meter race then surged ahead in the final 600 meters en route to the surprise runaway victory in 2:06 flat, 1.6 seconds off the track record jointly held by Aussie-imports Wild Orchid and Stowaway Lass.

The chestnut horse, by North America’s top sire Giant’s Causeway out of L’Addition by Private Account, is owned and bred by businessman and leading horse owner Hermie Esguerra, who won a guaranteed prize of P1.2 million.

Multiply’s impressive victory officially marked a changing of the guards in the local racing hierarchy as he dislodged Ibarra as the country’s top ranked galloper after dominating the all-comers division majority of the year.

US-bred longshot Dailies rallied from the tail end of the nine-horse field to salvage second place, well ahead of Aussie-bred Batang Tundo which finished third and the fading Ibarra, which settled for fourth.