Hirapour scores Colonial Cup in record
time
Eldon Farm Racing Stable’s HIRAPOUR (Ire) (Kahyasi) posted a 3
3/4-length win in Sunday’s $100,000 Marion du Pont Scott Colonial
Cup (NSA-G1) at Springdale Race Course and set a new course
record in the process.
With Matt McCarron in the saddle, the Doug Fout trainee
completed 2 3/4 miles over 17 fences in 5:04 3/5, which surpassed
defending champion McDynamo’s (Dynaformer) mark of 5:05 2/5 set
in last year’s event.
“I won it riding and I’ve been trying to win and trying
to win it as a trainer,” said Fout, who captured the 1980
Colonial Cup as a jockey with Sailor’s Clue. “It’s coming
back like it was yesterday. There’s nothing like this race. The
history is here and you always have all the best horses in the
country just like we did today.”
Five of the seven horses entered in the Colonial Cup had
Eclipse Award aspirations, but it was Hirapour who came out on
top. The eventual winner moved up into fourth behind pacesetter
Preemptive Strike (Roanoke), Sur La Tete (Sky Classic) and
McDynamo leaving the backstretch. Utilizing a rail trip, McCarron
sent Hirapour up to challenge at the last fence and drew clear
from there.
Preemptive Strike held second and was followed by Sur La Tete
and the favored McDynamo.
Hirapour turned the tables on McDynamo after finishing second
to that one in the Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase (NSA-G1) four weeks
ago. The eight-year-old captured the Royal Chase for the Sport of
Kings (NSA-G1) earlier this campaign.