THERE will be eight official runners participating in the 2016 Japan Racing Association Cup set this Sunday at the MetroTurf in Malvar, Batangas.
A total of P500,000 is at stake in this 1,600-meter race sponsored by the Philracom and hosted by the Metro Manila Turf Club with the winner receiving the top prize of P300,000 plus a trophy each to the winning owner, trainer, and jockey. A P15,000 bonus will also be given to the breeder of the winning horse.
The official runners together with their respective jockeys include: Guanta Na Mera– Mark Alvarez owned by Atty. Narciso Morales; Brennero– Kelvin Abobo and Absoluteresistance–MM Gonzales both owned by former Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr.; Aerial–Dennis Camanero Jr. (Mark Vincent Geron); Kundiman–Fernando Raquel Jr. (Paul Carpio); Fighting Back–Jonathan Hernandez (Nardy Javier); Fun Day Fest–Jordan Cordova (Andok’s Litson Corp); Bite My Dust–Jesse Guce (Dr. Nick Cruz).
The runnerup will receive P112,500, while the third and fourth placers will be given P62,500 and P25,000, respectively.
The annual JRA Cup is a goodwill exchange race between Japan and the Philippines for the past several years now and promoting closer working relations between the two countries through horseracing.
Earlier, the JRA held the Asia Week of Racing last July 16-17 at the Chukyo Racecourse in which 6 Trophy Races—The Philippines Trophy, Singapore Turf Club Trophy, Macau Trophy, Thailand Trophy, Malaysia Trophy, and India Trophy—were held. MMTC vice presidents Ronald Alfeche and Andy Sevilla represented the Philippines in the said two-day event held in Nagoya.
The whole-day racing at MetroTurf was dubbed as the Japan Racing Festival with four other Trophy Races to be disputed with a guaranteed prize of P120,000 going to each winner. These are the Sogo Hotel Trophy Race, Tecson Farm Trophy Race, Isuzu Trophy Race, and the DLTB Bus Co. Trophy Race.
The Japan Racing Association will be sending their top officials from the JRA Hongkong Office, General Manager Makoto Iyori and Masashi Shoju while the Japan Embassy in Manila will be represented by Minister for Economic Affairs Makoto Iyori and First Secretary Kenji Terada.