COMMENTS ON BANGALORE RACES - 27 FEB 2021
Cavallini on the strength of his stunning last start victory was strongly fancied to score in the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Memorial Trophy, the plum event on Saturday. Most big bettors and all the followers of form punted big on the Irfaan Ghatala ward despite the fact that Cavallini fails to break level from the gates and as a result needs to cover a lot of ground in the straight. He again jumped out last and graced the wrong end of the field for most part of the sprint trip before the leading pro Akshay Kumar, who had partnered him in his last essay packed punch the moment the 11 runners, barring Ice Floe, who bolted from the starting gates after unseating Trevor Patel and hence was withdrawn, entered the straight and the favourite readily produced a sparkling gallop to peg back Glenary and romp home a deserving winner. Regal Music did well to save money in place while Harmonia filled the frame. Cavallini, it must be mentioned is in rousing form and is set to complete a hat-trick of wins if his connections choose to again saddle him before the curtains are drawn this winter.
Irfan earlier led in the lesser fancied Donna Bella who came up trumps in the principal added attraction, the Byerley Turk Trophy run over a sprint. In what was a very open affair, Kimera from Pradeep Annaiah’s yard topped the betting board, but the favourite flopped badly in his attempt to win from the word go and eventually failed to finish in the frame. Donna Bella confidently piloted by top gun Srinath assumed command at the distance post and put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. The topweighted Asgardia piloted by apprentice jockey Shreyas Singh gained the runner-up berth ahead of Ultimate Speed while Benediction finished fourth.
Shreyas Singh had earlier registered his maiden victory astride the M R Singh-trained Stone House who proved too good in the second division of the Bull Temple Plate. Profound despite making his maiden appearance as a four-year-old was fancied most, but the Darius Byramji ward failed to reproduce his track form and it was clear half-way home itself that the public choice would end up in the ruck. Ocean Dunes finished second ahead of Sir Jersey while Perfectgoldenera who had finished a game second in his last essay was never in the hunt.
The third division of the event saw the Pradeep Annaiah schooled Belli Deepa garner inspired support and many from the Pradeep camp were heard touting Belli Deepa as a good, sound bet, but all that the filly could do was raise hopes of her supporters till the final furlong before the second in demand at the betting ring, Copper Sunrise breezed past the favourite and sailed through to win in style. The Prasanna Kumar ward in her last essay was fancied against better rated rivals and it was clear that she needed that run. Now with a benefit of a good run under her belly Copper Sunrise produced her best to shed her maiden rank. Tiffany finished third ahead of Carmine who is struggling to make her presence felt in this 15-35 category.
The first division of the event was claimed by Michigan Melody from trainer Prithviraj’s yard. Apprentice Naveen Kumar partnered the winner with aplomb in this whipless race. The connections of Michigan Melody quietly fancied the winner and were bullish of her chances even though the insiders and right connections of Arathorn fancied the Sulaiman ward to make a winning debut. Arathorn like Profound never could get going and that made the task of Michigan Melody simple, Naveen guiding her to storm past her 11 rivals and register an emphatic win.
The owner of Michigan Melody, Satish G Kundapur had earlier struck it rich on Radiant Treasure from Azhar Ali’s yard. The winner fancied sweetly on the strength of his suggestive last essay was confidently piloted by Ashhad Asbar. Ashhad tracked the leader Celestial Highway for most part of the seven furlongs trip before he drove the Azhar ward to seize the initiative in the final furlong and romp home a deserving winner. Ultimate Striker gained the runner-up berth ahead of Apollo Bay. Three whipless races in a nine-event card drew a lot of flak from the railbirds and the knowledgeable who pointed out that this was a overkill.
Knight In Hooves from Rajesh Narredu’s yard appears a goodtype of youngster. The progeny of Excellent Art owned by Daulat Chhabria, a partner in the Chennai Derby winner Sir Supremo was seen travelling all through the six furlongs trip on his left leg, hanging in a trifle before he put his leading leg in front in the final 100 metres to make a smashing debut. A delighted Daulat led in the good `Knight’ who is certain to make a mark in the forthcoming summer season. Brunhild from the stables of Prasanna Kumar finished a game second and it will not be long before she sheds her maiden status. Divine Blessing from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard and the Parvati Byramji schooled Moonlight Sonata will benefit most from this maiden exercise and it will pay to follow the two in the weeks ahead or early in the summer season.
The Gateway Of India Plate run over a mile produced a thrilling finish, rankoutsider Green Channel and the fancied duo, High Priestess and Queen Regnant flashing past the post locked in a blanket finish before the `magic eye; nodded in favour of Green Channel who edged out the `Priestess’ by the shortest of margins while a `neck’ behind the runner-up was Queen Regnant. While Arul, a four-kilo claimer produced a percentage effort on the winner, Trevor, it appeared lost a race which he could have won on this day.
COMMENTS ON BANGALORE RACES - 20 FEB 2021
We saw Ascoval from trainer Padmanabhan’s yard serve notice of his potential, while sending out a strong message that he is a big boy in the campus with lot of potential and tremendous scope for improvement. The progeny of Excellent Art, it is needless to mention is in the classic mould and under the care of the top gun, the talented youngster is certain to only get better and realise his potential in the months ahead. The Aggarwal brothers, Rajan and Gautam for years were scouting for a couple, who could put them on the classic podium. But it was just not happening despite the fact that Rajan and Gautam were willing to pick up quality stuff from the leading stud farms in their effort to graduate to the big league. Now that Ascoval appears to have the ability to paint the big classic picture, the smile is back on the face of Aggarwals never mind the tensions they will face each time Ascoval enters the gates for the big tests.
Cool Rider from Neil Darashah’s yard on Saturday established himself as one other youngster who will make his presence felt against the best in the months ahead. The talented son of Phoenix Tower from the Manjri Stud Farm without really raising a sweat chalked out his second straight success, winning the Sherlock Bangalore Juvenile Million in resplendent style. The winner on the strength of his smashing debut was fancied most by the right connections who rated him high and Cool Rider readily justified the confidence of his trainer and supporters while providing leading pro Srinath an arm-chair ride to success. Stablemates Pecanwood and Stockbridge from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard followed the winner in that order, while the favourite Scruples in line for a hat-trick disappointed most only managing to fill the frame. Now that Cool Rider has confirmed that he is a goodtype of youngster his progress in summer is certain to evoke interest.
The principal added attraction, the Stewards Trophy produced a pulse-pounding finish, three contestants flashing past the post locked together. The magic eye nodded in favour of Abira who nosed out the favourite Northern Alliance, who in turn beat Saint Petersburg by a `nose’. It is the opinion of most old hats in the game that the decision of the connections of Northern Alliance and Saint Petersburg to go with a whipless apprentice cost them dear. The apprentice boys did produce their best but at end it was Neeraj Rawal astride Abira who was fortunate to come out on tops. Northern Alliance must consider himself very unlucky, the inexperience of Arul stopping the game galloper from recording his third success this season.
The Padmanabhan schooled Amazing Blaze was strongly fancied to score in the Kedarnath Plate, but the bred in the purple filly after promising much failed to deliver and much to the chagrin of her supporters failed to even save money in place. Second in demand at the betting counters, Redoutable from Prasanna Kumar’s yard won the mile long event with a measure of comfort from Royal Blossom while Pissarro piloted by Zervan finished third ahead of the well-backed even-money favourite.
The Irfan Ghatala-trained Griffin had the best credentials to score in the upper division of the Horanadu Plate run over a sprint. Griffin rightly opened the favourite before Chain Of Thoughts, Crimson Heart and Lightning Charlie too enjoyed fair support which resulted in better dividend offered on the favourite. In the whipless event Salman Khan produced a copybook effort on the winner to the delight of the railbirds who recovered a small percentage of their losses, Griffin the lone favourite to oblige in the eight-event card.
Earlier, the first three results floored the punters. Commandpost from Narayan Gowda’s yard piloted by Angad won the opening event hands down paying out a handsome dividend of Rs 211 on a tenner at the tote window. Gazebo Talk from Neil Devaney’s yard was fancied most but all that the favourite did was take a lot of good money down the drain finishing a poor fourth. Fierce Fighter from Faraz Arshad ‘s stable gained the runner-up berth ahead of Azeemki Princess.
The lower division of the Horanadu Plate saw the Darius Byramji schooled Decorum drop the biggest bombshell reigning supreme in the hands of another four-kilo claimer Akash Chavan. Baroness from Narayan Gowda’s yard, a firm favourite in the event produced a dismal effort and eventually finished last. It is no secret that a number of cases of enhanced performances from the yards of leading trainers and an equal number of shocking drop in form cases have floored the followers of form and it is time the stipes and stewards at this centre exercise a more strict vigil. Penalising just one man while dozens have given the slip only exposes the poor quality of stiping and unless this improves the habitual offenders will only continue to boldly do their jobs.
Rankoutsider Schafenberg from Sulaiman Attaollahi’s yard, who had finished 14 lengths behind the winner First Impression in his last essay on Jan 16 came out tops in the Planetarium Plate. The winner, who had failed to display any spark in her last half-dozen starts came good pegging back Tokyo Rose and Port Of Beauty who performed below par. It is true that Schafenberg was pitted against lesser rated rivals this time out and this helped the mare score but it is the lack of consistency which the punter is questioning and not the intent and intention of the master.
Tactfully piloted by Suraj Narredu, the six to one shot Hokkaido emerged the winner in the Indian Navy Plate run over a mile. Suraj judged the pace well and timed his final challenge to a nicety to edge out the public choice First Impression. The runner-up in defeat was not disgraced and lives to fight another day. Set To Win caught the eye while finishing an impressive third and it will not be long before this Sharath Kumar ward will earn his cornbill.
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