Ownership group ecstatic as Sintra takes home Gold Cup and Saucer

It’s all over.

After a week of races, the most important contest in Atlantic Canadian harness racing wrapped up at midnight.

The crowd was going absolutely wild as Sintra and driver Anthony MacDonald crossed the finish line in Charlottetown early Sunday morning, well ahead of the second horse, winning the coveted 63rd Gold Cup and Saucer.

The first place horse earned $50,000, half of the $100,000 purse for the event.

MacDonald, a veteran driver but first-time Gold Cup and Saucer winner, was humble as he approached the winner’s circle.

“Feels great. Feels much better than losing.”

Sintra tied the all-time course record with a time of 1:50.1.

Thousands were at the Charlottetown Driving Park to see the best of the best in harness racing. It’s the biggest night in Charlottetown.

Dozens of people swarmed the winner’s circle, many part of the group of owners who purchased the horse several weeks ago.

“I guarantee you, those guys over there, it means a lot more to them to,” said MacDonald. “I’m from the Island and I love the Island, but these guys that got a chance to own a horse like this, it’s amazing.”

It’s a unique situation for a champion racehorse. Sintra was purchased through “fractional ownership” website thestable.ca.

It allows anyone to buy a stake, as little as one per cent, in a professional racehorse.

Some of those owners travelled quite a distance to be here.

“I’m all the way from Toronto. I’m a member of the stable, I have five stable horses,” said Billy Heffernan, fractional owner. “It’s the best deal in the world.”

It’s not a simple investment, like mutual funds in an RRSP, but opens the experience of racehorse ownership to people who never would have had the chance.

“This is just the icing on the cake. To be out here tonight, I can’t even put it into words,” said Randy MacIntosh, fractional owner. “I teared up when he come under the wire. It’s just amazing.”

As the big race closes, thoughts are already turning to next year, with trainers, drivers, and owners doing what they can to give their horse an edge in the next Gold Cup and Saucer.