Elite cast disputes Cojuangco Cup crown

MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion Hitting Spree puts her crown on the line in the 2018 Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr. Cup tomorrow at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park Racetrack in Naic, Cavite.

The SC Stockfarm-owned Hitting Spree, which led from start to finish in ruling last year’s edition of the Cojuangco Cup, will be ridden again by jockey Kelvin Abobo in the prestigious 2,000-meter race offering a total purse of P2 million and held in honor of the San Miguel Corp. chairman, a stalwart in the horseracing industry.

Seven other thoroughbreds, led by Hitting Spree’s stablemate Brilliance (jockey JB Hernandez) and last year’s third placer She’s Incredible (jockey OP Cortez) of owner Joseph Dyhengco, will be crowding the reigning titlist for the top purse of P1.2 million in the rich racing weekend put up by the Philippine Racing Commission, the Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners and the Philippine Racing Club.

Others standing in their way are Pangalusian Island (jockey JP Guce, owner Wilbert Tan), Sky Dancer (AP Asuncion, Cool Summer Farm), Tin Drum (RG Fernandez, Cool Summer Farm), Truly Ponti (JA Guce, Narciso Morales) and UND Kantar (RO Niu Jr., Melanie Habla).

Brilliance and Tin Drum are the youngest in the field at four years, with the rest veterans at five years old.

Supporting the Cojuangco Cup is the 2018 Philracom P1.5M 3YO Open Challenge Series.