It may be two years since Etah James (Raise The Flag x Etah) posted her upset victory in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) but Mark Lupton still hasn’t tired of watching the race replay.
The 2020 edition of the Randwick feature got another viewing over Easter when Lupton and his wife Cath, who bred and own Etah James with Terry Reid and Garry Howes, received a special delivery courtesy of Sydney-based Reid.
“We couldn’t travel (because of COVID restrictions) at the time so we have to watch the race from home,” Lupton said. “Annabel (Neasham, trainer) collected the trophy on the day and Terry had picked it up from her.
“He has had it in his possession for the last couple of years. He is a Hamilton boy and was able to travel back recently to see his parents and us and he brought the Cup so it is in our possession now. It is very exciting too, it is a gorgeous Cup.
“The night it arrived we opened a bottle of champagne and toasted the Sydney Cup, I still watch the race frequently. When I’m at home with nothing to do I put it on.
“We swapped it with the Pakenham Cup, I said to Terry he couldn’t go home empty handed so he could take that and look at it for a couple of years.”
Etah James is currently in foal to Russian Camelot with her owners eagerly awaiting her first foal. She will remain in Australia with no firm plans made on a mating match for 2022.
The successful partnership that raced Etah James have plenty to look forward to including the progress of a U.S Navy Flag yearling colt who Lupton holds in high regard.
“We decided that he was the last foal out of the mare so we didn’t really want to sell him,” he said. “He has been broken in by Sam Beatson and is at home now.
“He is a lovely horse, really nice.”
The two-year-old full brother to Etah James is also at the Lupton’s Matamata property.
“He has had a couple of preparations but is a bit like her, he is a staying horse,” Lupton said. “He will need a bit of time.” -NZTBA
