SYMPHONY OF FIRE TOO GOOD; ARRAKIS IS A CLASSIC HOPEFUL

Trainer Mohan Valavi leads in Desert Gold (Prithviraj up), winner of the Romantic Dancer Plate (Div I)

Autumn Splendour (B Prakash up), winer of the New Market Plate(Div II) being led in by trainer Jim Foley and S Ganapathy (right), racing manager of Dr  M A M Ramaswamy

Alassio (B Prakash up), winner of High Commission Cup (Div II), being led in by trainer C Taraporvala

KUNIGAL BRED HORSES TO THE FORE; SIX SPEED, ALLOCATED KEEP TRYST WITH DESTINY
(Race Review of 17th and 18th June Races)

BOUNTIFUL GESTURE IMPRESSES; ALLAIRE FAILS TO SHOW OUT
(Race Review of 27th and 28th May Races)

SIX SPEED IS SENSATIONAL ALLOCATED IS ANOTHER STAR
( Review of June 3rd and 4th Races)

SURPRISES GALORE DURING FIRST WEEK-END
(Reviews of  May20-21 Races)

ZAREER DARASHAH trained Symphony of Fire bounced back to top form, with a facile win in the 1200 metres Sans Craintes Million (Grade III) which highlighted the races held on Sunday (July 2).

The race had an open look about it though for some strange reasons, Rashid Byramji's  Secret Halo was installed as the firm favourite. Secret Halo's last run was at Mumbai where he had won the Breeders Produce Stakes over seven furlongs and hadn't raced for well over four months. He went into the race looking a trifle gross but still, the punters put blind faith in the abilities of this got-abroad colt to overcome all disadvantages, the first and foremost being the six furlong trip which was too sharp considering his breeding and build. In the event, the punters were left to rue their decision as Secret Halo who found the initial pace too hot to handle, was finishing on when the race had been sewn up by Symphony of Fire. Secret Halo is undoubtedly a talented colt and his true potential will be known when he crosses sword with the likes of Accrual in the Dashmesh Stud Million later in the season.

Symphony of Fire who had run behind Allocated in the Nanoli Million over seven furlongs, had run poorly in the Knock Out Million and as such, the Bold Russian progeny's  claims were thought to be not  good. Starry Scene, the highest rated horsse in the fray and also enjoying pull in weights as per the terms of the race, was racing over a sprint after having being targetted for the Fillies Trial Stakes over a mile and hence the drop in distance was bound to go against her. Starry Scene finished full of running when the race was in the safe keeping of Symphony of Fire.

Jockey K P G Appu took Symphony of Fire on a start to finish mission, with no hopper Winelight keeping her company. Starry Scene had a slight check along the rails and dropped back after being prominent which made jockey Mallesh Narredu to work on her much before he would have liked.

Symphony of Fire brought the field into view, several lengths ahead of the rest and kicked away, with Starry Scene chasing without hope. Although Starry Scene managed to bridge gap to less than two lengths, Symphony of Fire was unstoppable. The rest of the runners  led by Secret Halo and the top-weighted Symphony of Fire were far away. The winner clocked a smart time of one minute 13.98 seconds which incidentally is the best clocked thus far in the season. Last season, Symphony of Fire was one among the three horses to clock under one minute 14 seconds in winter,  after the distances were re-measured at the start of the season with the starting points pushed back by about 20 to 50 metres.

The Romantic Dancer Plate, a seven furlong race for maiden three year olds, was split into two divisions.  The upper division of the race was claimed by Mohan Valavi trained Desert Gold who made every post a winning one. Desert Gold who had been pretty consistent, came good, with jockey Prithviraj making a successful start to finish mission.Tudor King who has been a disappointment in all his runs, could do no better than edge out favourite  Appeaser for the second spot.

It was in the lower division of the race that one saw the emergence of a classic prospect in Arrakis who smashed the opposition in the manner of a top class horse. Jockey Pesi Shroff who rode the Steinbeck-Run For the Crown gelding as retained jockey Aslam Kader was rendered horse de combat, had an arm-chair ride to victory. The style of  Arrakis' victory suggests that this Steinbeck progeny will be a handful in the winter classics. Rich Tradition was a poor second ahead of Rock Party.

Followers of  Dr Ramaswamy stable had a  poor day, as four of the fancied runners failed to land the spoils. The first in the line was the well-backed Forest Boy who found the 1100 metres trip sharp. Star Wings who had lost on photo to Concur who had subsequently won again in smashing fashion, stretched away for a facile win, with Forest Boy finding foot when the race was over. Schumacher was a late-finishing third.

Dominic trained Acute sported wings as it were, judging by the manner in which the Tecorno progeny made mincemeat of the opposition, with a start to finish win by a widening margin of over five lengths. Acute who had finished 10 out of10 runners in is last outing was seen in different colours as the connections successfully hid the form to bring off a coup. Blue Ridge who had placed second in the higher class, was second ahead of Pride Estates who was faraway third. Unaccountably, Baffin Bay was made the firm favourite and the Placerville progeny ran true to his erratic ways. Baffin Bay has never failed to live upto the form that he displays in the work-outs and he is nothing but  a ``morning glory''.

Despite the presence of D Patel, Armiger was backed to the exclusion of his rivals but  the Tecorno progeny ran poorly, plodding on to finish third. Whitehall made a futile bid to catch up with the front-running Sanguine but without any hope. Sangine who had last raced over a mile and quarter race,  sprinted away with the race at nourishing odds. The win not only provided visiting trainer Leo D'Silva his first win but also helped him claim  a lucrative jackpt.

Calcutta's C Alford made things difficult for himself on favourite Native Tactics but still the horse was so good that despite poor handling and interference at crucial stages of the races, he went away for a comfortable win. Royal Power flashed home late to take the second spot ahead of Silver Hope and Mussleburgh.

SATURDAY's saw Mysore Derby winner Crystal Man return to his winning ways, with a resolute win in the Karnataka Sub-Area Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, the feature event of the day. The No Louder-Park Guest four-year old gelding who had performed poorly after winning the Mysore Derby last October was seen in pink of condition and predictably made light of the opposition.

Jockey S S Baria who rode Bank Balance, the runner up,  was guilty of dangerous riding and he badly tightened Crystal Moment which caused the horse a bad check. It was no surprise that the Stewards stood down Baria for not exercising sufficient control over his mount which could have caused a serious accident. Amusing  pipped Colonial for the third place.

Form held good in the day's races, with favourites obliging in the five of the eight events. Autumn Splendour, Whattagirl, Asperity, Crystal Man and  Code Word won  as strongly backed horses.

The biggest coup of the day was brought off on Concur in the High Commission Cup (Div I). Concur showed unbelievable improvement when swamping the opposition. Fantasy Flight's challenge was snuffed out at the top of the straight by Concur who went on to win by a widening margin of eight lengths. Favourite Mosaic was a farway third while Almost Heaven and The Music Man who had a troubled passage  were not seen in their true colours. The Music Man who finished fourth despite the traffic problems is too good to miss next time out.

Trainer Taraporvala who has been going through a lean patch after shifting his base from Hyderabad, had a rewarding day after a considerable gap of time. He saddled two winners through Alassio who won the lower division of the High Commission Cup and Royal Birkdale who won the lower division of the New Market Plate. Both the winners returned attractive dividends.

Symphony of Fire  (KPG Appu up), winner of the Sans Craintes Million, being led in by joint owners Vinod Shivappa (left) and D Pritham Basappa and trainer Zareer Darashah (extreme right)

R Ramakrishnan, Steward of the Bangalore Turf Club (extreme right) who presented the trophy to joint owners Vinod Shivappa and D Pritham Basappa who pose with the crystal trophy

Arrakis (Pesi Shroff up), winner of the Romantic Dancer Plate, being led in by trainer Rashid Byramji

Star Wings (A Imran Khan up), winner of Track Lightning Plate, being led in by trainer Puttanna (left) and joint owners.

Accute (P Ramesh up), winner of the Chamundi Hill Trophy, being led in by trainer Dominic (left) and owner V V Abdullah.

Trainer Darius Byramji leads in Native Tactics (C Alford up), winner of the M Ali Asker Memorial Plate.

Photos : M P Ravi Kumar

July 1st and 2nd complete results (with official placings)