DUNDAS, ON — With one horse in each of three Gold Finals on Flamboro Downs’s exceptional Confederation Cup program, Chris Christoforou, Sr. has a better chance than most to take home a share of the $1.1 million that will be up for grabs at the Dundas oval on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m happy I got three qualified,” says the Campbellville resident, who bred and owns two-year-old trotting colt Australian Stock, three-year-old trotting colt Investor and two-year-old pacing colt Raw Energy. “I hope I get some luck there.”

The gifted two-year-old trotting colts will kick off the high stakes action at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, going after $130,000 and their fourth Gold Final title in Race 2. The reigning Gold Final champions, Australian Stock and driver Chris Christoforou, Jr., will start from Post 4 and are expected to be among the favourites after a track record 1:59.3 performance in last weekend’s elimination.

“I thought he was a nice colt, but he is better than what I was expecting him to be, so far anyway,” says Christoforou, Sr., who shares ownership on Australian Stock with Banjo Farms of Toronto and Alvin Stein of Ottawa. “I don’t give my horses enough credit. I am always a couple of steps back.”

Australian Stock made his Ontario Sires Stakes debut in the second Gold Series event, finishing second in a track record elimination at Grand River Raceway on July 31 and then capturing the Gold Final one week later in impressive front end fashion. The son of Angus Hall and Katya Hanover also controlled the pace in his track record mile at Flamboro Downs last weekend.

“I watched him train a few times when I was in Florida. He was doing everything right all the time,” says Christoforou, who entrusted the colt’s care to trainer Roy Jeffries. “Roy was very patient with him. He took his time. The slightest thing he didn’t like, if the horse was sick or anything, he waited, he didn’t push him.”

One of 11 trainers who inherited a Christoforou-bred when the horseman decided to retire from the business of training horses last fall, Jeffries was also responsible for three-year-old trotting colt Investor through the winter. When the colt shipped back to Ontario, Christoforou opted to send Investor to Anthony Montini and the colt made his sophomore debut in an overnight event at Mohawk Racetrack on Aug. 3, finishing second in a 1:58.4 mile over a sloppy track.

In last week’s elimination Investor finished second once again, one and three-quarter lengths behind Indiana Hall in 1:57.3. Sunday afternoon the son of Angus Hall and Seductive will be looking to match or better his runner-up placing from Post 3 in the fourth race.

“I knew the horse was good enough, I just was wondering how ready he was to go,” notes Christoforou. “That was only his third lifetime start. He raced once last year, and that was only his second start this year. He raced good I thought.”

Investor and Christoforou, Jr. face a tough task on Sunday in against Goodtimes and Canadian Breeders champion Majestic Son from Post 2, last season’s division champion Was It A Dream from Post 5 and reigning Gold Final and Dream Of Glory champion Colonel Talbot from Post 7.

“He’s in with some nice colts, we’ll need some luck,” admits Christoforou, who bred and owns Investor in partnership with Banjo Farms.

The longtime owner and breeder adds that Raw Energy will also need his share of luck in the talent laden two-year-old pacing colt Final. The son of Astreos and F Fifteen will make his bid for a third straight Gold Final title from Post 3 in the tenth race, which falls between the eliminations and the final of the $508,000 Confederation Cup.

“Raw Energy, he doesn’t win the eliminations,” says Christoforou, who owns the colt with Banjo Farms and Alvin Stein. “So far he’s been the bridesmaid in the eliminations and won the finals, so I hope he carries on.”

True to the form he started in his Gold Series debut at Mohawk Racetrack on July 2, Raw Energy finished second to Gimme A Grin in last week’s elimination. Through five Gold Series starts the leggy youngster has been second twice and third once in elimination action and recorded victories in the July 9 Gold Final at Mohawk and the July 23 Gold Final at Rideau Carleton Raceway.

For Christoforou, one of the most exciting aspects about his trio of Gold contestants is the fact that they all have brothers or sisters waiting in the wings. The breeder has a yearling full brother to Raw Energy, a yearling full sister to Australian Stock and a two-year-old full sister to Investor to campaign over the next few years, which means Sunday could be just the start of a very fun ride.

This Sunday’s outstanding afternoon of racing gets under way at 1:30 pm. Flamboro Downs fans will be treated to the two-year-old trotting colt Gold Final in Race 2, the three-year-old trotting colt final in Race 3, a pair of Confederation Cup Eliminations in Races 8 and 9, the two-year-old pacing colt Gold Final in Race 10 and the afternoon will culminate with the much anticipated $508,000 Confederation Cup Final in Race 11.

For complete entries please go to:

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