THE 27TH RUNNING of The Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup will take place at the Garrison Savannah on Saturday and race fans have expressed mixed feelings over its promotion, the quality of the field and the eventual result.

But if there is one thing the majority agree on is that this year's Gold Cup will provide the thousands who come from far and wide to be part of the regions greatest horse racing spectacle, is that it will be, like all other Gold Cups, a highly competitive and exciting affair.

According to the majority of race fans interviewed, although there will be no horse in Saturday's race that carries the same sort of aura of a Bentom, a Sandford Prince, or a Blast Of Storm, they still expect the event to stir the imagination of the thousands on hand and provide them with the kind of excitement which is only synonymous with the Gold Cup.

The consensus of opinion among these railbirds is that on current form and using his runaway win in The Coolmore as a guide, the Liz Deane-trained Duc D Fer looks the horse to beat in the big event.

Despite this, they all agree that if the Gay Smith-owned Zarad is 100 per cent fit and ready for the race, he will be the most likeliest winner because according to them, he is the classiest animal in the race.