In its centenary year, San Sebastian racecourse is set to welcome bumper fields for its quartet of big races judging by entries released on Friday.
Recent listed Gran Premio de Madrid winner Madrileño (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), from the stable of Spain's champion trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta, will attempt to add another major title to his record in the €68,000 Copa de Oro, one of two listed contests in the San Sebastian programme which is run on Aug. 15. A record 28 entries have been received, 14 of which are from overseas, including the Ed Dunlop-trained Manjaam (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), the recent winner of a competitive handicap at Ascot and now rated 95.
Paul Webber has twice made successful raids on San Sebastian from his Oxfordshire base, winning the Gran Premio de San Sebastian with Australia Day (Ire) (Key Of Luck) in 2012 and Tindaro (Fr) (Kingsalsa) two years later. Webber has entered Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar's useful dual-purpose gelding Gwafa (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) for both the Copa de Oro and the Gran Premio, and Gwafa could be joined in the latter by his stablemate Tindaro, who will bid to reclaim his crown in the 100th running of San Sebastian's historic race.
The €40,800 Tattersalls Gran Premio de San Sebastian, which was first won by Teddy in 1916 and is run this year on Sept. 10, has attracted 29 entries, 13 of which are from outside Spain, including William Knight's Seaside Sizzler (GB) (Rahy) and the John Berry-trained Indira (GB) (Sleeping Indian {GB}).
Featured among the 22 entries for the listed Gobierno Vasco, run over a mile on Aug. 21, is Celestial Path (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who was third in the G1 Racing Post Trophy for Sir Mark Prescott. The valuable fillies' handicap, the 2200m Maria Cristina on Aug.8, is another race with a record entry of 22 and is worth a total of €30,600.
Nick Higgins, the overseas representative for San Sebastian commented, “We're absolutely chuffed to bits with the entries we've received, which is a record number in total. Every year my remit is to increase the number of foreign entries and we're delighted with the support for this year's races.”
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