Princess Eowyn blooms in Sampaguita race

MANILA, Philippines — Teaming up for the first time, Princess Eowyn and star jockey JB Guce looked like a veteran of many battles as they came through with a masterful six-length triumph in the Philippine Racing Commission’s 2019 Sampaguita Stakes Race at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite last Sunday.

Princess Eowyn engaged El Debarge, ridden by jockey JA Guce, in a furious neck-and-neck race before grabbing the pole at the half-mile point as it scooted home pulling away, leaving the seven-horse field scrambling on her trail.

“Ngayon ko lang po kasi siya (Princess Eowyn) nasakyan,” revealed Guce. “Tinanong po ako ng owner kung anong diskarte, sabi ko, pasarida. Kung kaya mauna, mauna na. Pero alam ko po na ‘yung kalaban ko, may tulin din (El Debarge and Cevesa Rosas). Nag-pasarida kami para lamang kami sa puwesto at hindi na maabala at kung saka-sakaling may magpupumilit, sabi ko kahit ibigay namin ang harapan, pero bantayan ko na din po kaagad.”

As it turned out, Eowyn and Guce were never threatened as soon as the duo seized the lead. 

“Pinakiramdaman ko kung kaya pa ng kabayo nila sa half mile pa lang. Pagkakuha  ko, hindi ko na binitawan. Nag-abang nalang po ako kung may dadating, wala naman, sa homestretch dire-diretso na,” said the multi-titled jockey, who feels that the win is the start of a long, winning partnership.

“Hopefully, simula pa lang ito,” said Guce.

The victory was worth a whopping P1.2 million for owner Edong Diokno, whose other more popular horse, Boss Emong, ruled the second leg of the Philracom’s Triple Crown Series last June.

A total of P2 million was allotted by the sponsoring Philracom in the Sampaguita Stakes Race featuring some of the country’s best fillies.