11 November, 2009
Japanese-bred El Dorado (Stay Gold - White Leap (by White Muzzle)) won his second consecutive Singapore Gold Cup (Sin-G1) at Singapore's Kranji Racecourse on November 8th.
The five-year-old gelding won the S$1.35million race over 2,200m even more dominantly than he did last year, managing to shorten the record time by 0.3 seconds. The win last year was trainer Hideyuki Takaoka's first Group win in Singapore, but he commented that this win was much more satisfying than last year's.
The winning jockey Ronnie Stewart was aboard El Dorado in last year's Gold Cup as well, and this year, he has also ridden another Japanese-bred, Jolie's Shinju, in her clean sweep of the Singapore triple crown for 4-year-olds
El Dorado has now won 7 of 30 starts with total earnings of S$1,900,177.50.
Bred by Takano Bokujo (Farm) in Hokkaido, El Dorado was purchased by current owner and Singapore-based businessman Masatsugu Otani (Big Valley Stable) at the 2006 Hidaka Training Sale for 5,000,000yen (excluding tax).
El Dorado's sire, Stay Gold (by Sunday Silence) achieved success as a racehorse in the 2001 Hong Kong Vase (G1) and Dubai Sheema Classic (G2). He has sired multiple Group winners in Japan, including multiple G1 winner and 2006 2-year-old champion Dream Journey.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club