THE Metro Manila Turf Club will be this year’s proud host of the 45th Presidential Gold Cup which will be held on Dec. 10 at the MetroTurf Racing Complex in Malvar-Tanauan, Batangas.
This was made official after the Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the top officials of the sponsoring Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Metro Manila Turf Club recently at the Manila Golf Club in Makati City.
“This is a momentous event since this is the first time in the history of the Presidential Gold Cup that the prestigious race will be held in a new racetrack, and that is the MetroTurf Racing Complex in Batangas,” said the PCSO General Manager Alexander Ferrer Balutan. “Come and join us we celebrate the 45th edition of this prestigious race that is being sponsored proudly by the PCSO to help the horseracing industry!”
For his part, Dr. Norberto Quisumbing Jr. thanked the PCSO for choosing the MMTC as this year’s host of the blue-ribbon event. “We really appreciate that the 45th edition of this very prestigious race in the country will be hosted for first time by the MMTCI in our MetroTurf Racing Complex in Malvar-Tanauan, Batangas. The past 44 years saw the emergence of the very best horses in the local horseracing industry,” said Quisumbing.
“From that very small total pot of P100,000 for the top four placers in 1973, the total prize now, after 44 long years, has ballooned to P6 million. Thanks for the whole-hearted support of the PCSO through the years,” Dr. Quisumbing added.
Also those who witnessed the MOA Signing were PCSO officials such as Board Member Marlon Balite, AGM Dodie Zabella, Atty. Jose Malang, Atty. Lauro Patiag, Arnel Casas, Orlando Malaca, Rey Empremiado, and Desoto Tupaz while MMTC officials included Joy Quisumbing, Atty. Jose Alexander Carandang, Atty. Ros Nisce, Andy Sevilla, Atty. Francis Rivera, Ann Horteza, and Jun Alano.
The Official 45th edition Logo together with the 2017 Presidential Gold Cup that has the embossed photo of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte were unveiled during the event.
The iconic Gold Cup was conceptualized and designed by Dr. Galo B. Ocampo, the Technical Adviser on Heraldry to the Office of the President. It was then crafted by Jose J. Tupas Jr. of El Oro Engravers of Manila.
The 2-feet tall original Gold Cup, which now stands at the PCSO Office in Mandaluyong, showcases various phases of the Philippine history. The names of all the 44 Champions are attached to its Roll of Winners below. A smaller replica that has the picture of the sitting President is being made by A. Suarez of Cebu and is awarded to the Winning Owner.
This year’s edition attracted 10 official participants vying for a total of P6-million – P5-million from PCSO for the top 4 four placers and P1-million bonus to the winner coming from Philracom.
The official entries together with their respective owners and jockeys are: Stony Road Horse Farms’ Space Needle – Arnel Asuncion 54; Benjamin Abalos III’s Pinagtipunan – Jonathan Hernandez 55; Nicomedes Cruz’s Bite My Dust – Jesse Guce 55; Wilbert Tan’s Subterranean River – Jeffril Zarate 54; SC Stockfarm’s Sepfourteen – John Alvin Guce 54.5; Herminio Esguerra’s Dewey Boulevard – Pati Dilema 55; former Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr.’s Lakan – Andreu Villegas 55.5; Joseph Dyhengco’s Hiway One – Rey Niu Jr. 54.5; and Atty. Narciso Morales’ Messi – Val Dilema 56 and Tap Dance – Jericho Serrano 56.
The winner will receive the whopping top prize of P3-million from the PCSO plus the added P1-million bonus from Philracom while its owner will also receive another Breeder’s bonus of P200,000.
The runnerup picks up P1-million while the third and fourth placers get P500,000 and P300,000, respectively.