BONZER OUTSTAYS THE REST IN BANGALORE ST LEGER

Trainer Mahesh leads in Touchin Heights (Rajesh Singh astride), after the Meteorologist progeny won the Happy Valley Plate on Sunday.

Joint owners Vinod Shivappa and Pritham Basappa receiving  the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup from BTC Steward Dr Srinivasa Gowda after Symhony of Fire's easy win in the race.

DHARIWAL trained Bonzer who was the highest rated horse in the fray, made amends for his failure in the Maharaja's Cup, with an emphatic win in the 2800 metres Bangalore St Leger, the last classic of the Bangalore Summer Season on Sunday (July 23). The decisive manner of his victory, especially after his poor show last time out, surprised many but  the fact is  favourite Alchemy, a dry coated horse,   ran below form. Alchemy clearly did not relish the hot conditions prevailing on the day and finished a poor third.

Alchemy who had beaten Bonzer both at level weights and when receiving weight from the Green Forest progeny, predictably enjoyed maximum support in the betting ring. The Imtiaz Sait ward did not sport a good coat though there was improvement in this aspect from the last run. While Alchemy was stoutly bred to stay on the dam side, Green Forest had no such problems, as his breeding suggested that he would relish the extended trip better than the others. The only other horse in the fray who was expected to figure at the finish i.e. Congratulations suffered a cut injury on the stomach just as the horses passed the winning post for the first time, and started swishing her tail and dropped out of the race to finish in the rut.

Pesi Shroff, unlike on the previous occasion, kept Bonzer well up with the front-runners as Audible did the job of pace-making. Alameda hit the front at the 800 metres marker, with Bonzer close in attendance. Shroff pushed Bonzer ahead inside the final 300 metres and the Green Forest progeny, under the merciless belting in the hands of the ace jockey who was  quite unlike himself , opened up a big lead and won as he liked by seven lengths. Alchemy failed to quicken despite the best efforts of Aslam Kader and could not even pass Alameda who held on to the second spot by a neck. Shroff was once again fined Rs 2000 for excessive use of the whip and he was lucky to get away with a mild fine. He had earlier been fined a similar amount when guiding Bonzer to victory in the Justice Cup for a similar offence.

The victory enabled Dr Vijay Mallya to have a near sweep of the Summer Classics. Six Speed and Allocated won the Fillies and Colts Classics but the former lost a thriller in the Kingfisher Derby but Bonzer somewhat compensated with his fluent win in the St Leger.

Jim Foley trained Celestial Gold created a favourable impression when winning the Divine Light Plate (Div II), a seven furlong race for maiden three-year olds. The got-abroad colt Celestial Gold, in the hands of jockey Prakash who is currently heading the jockeys table, cruised past the opposition, to win in splendid fashion. Celestial Gold's next run will give a clue to his future prospects.   Mrs Silva Storai drove out Rusticana to the second position ahead of Appleby who is sure to benefit by this run. Way of Light ran green and needed this run.

The upper division of the race saw Mrs Silva Storai in her elements as she timed her challenge to a nicety on Silvano. There was three fancied runners in the race namely Current Bay, Golden Tiger, Great Eastern. But in the event, Silvano who moved on the wide outside with a flourish, fought out with Golden Tiger who was shaping like a winner, to snatch the verdict on the post. Current Bay  and Great Eastern ran below expectations.

Trainer M P Mahesh is known to bring off shrewd gambles. His patience with his wards deserves praise for he does not push his horses to get them to perform straightaway. He waits with them and this has seen him reap rich rewards despite the quality of his stock being modest. For the second time, his ward Touchin Heights won at nourishing odds. Touchin Heights had lost narrowly to Power Extreme last time out when jockey Rakesh had made a tactical error. Prior to that, the filly had won at nourishing odds in winter.

Now assigned to five-kg claimer in Rajesh Singh who has just ridden one winner thus far in his career, Touchin Heights was available at fancy odds as all the money came on Malesh Narredu's Comrade Rule. After Daiimio led till the bend, Touchin Heights took over the running and was well clear of the field when she shied away as she was passing the starting gates placed outside the running rails. The jockey managed to keep his cool and gathered his horse and drove out for a 3/4 length victory over Daiimio who was  coming with a second run. Jockey Sharat Kumar who hit Touchin Heights from behind with his whip at around the 600 metre marker, was suspended for six months by the Stewards for foul riding.

Mangalorkar's Financier was fancied against the likes of Native Tactics but had found the company too hot and had finished in the rut last time out. Now totally ignored in the betting ring, the Vaal Reef progeny Financier came from behind to go past the field to win as he liked. Star Festival plodded on to take the second spot ahead of Aznu while Dominc's Tircon who received inspired support in the betting ring, was a poor sixth.

In fact, the followers of Dominic had a poor day   as his other ward Beat The Dust who was backed to the exclusion of the rest despite the presence of Md Ghous in the saddle, bit the dust as the well-bred but unsound Placerville progeny faded out after showing out prominently in the straight. Malesh Narredu's driving finish enabled Lunar Ray who is soon to be retired to the Stud Farm, prevail in an exciting finish over Silva-ridden Scandal Sheet. Fancied Jersey Lightning dropped its jockey Appu inside the final 700 metres. Appu escaped with a cut in his lower lip and a minor damage to his teeth.

The price on King's Common drifted out alarmingly as Rakesh replaced the injured Appu in the saddle but the Common Grounds progeny was as he liked from Polish Power and the late-finishing favourite Silk Petals.

There are few jockeys in India who can match Malesh in a tight-finish. For the second time in the day, his powerful finish saw Silver Hope snuff out the challenge of Princelene close home in the Division II of the D M Shivaswamy Memorial Cup.

THE Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, was at the mercy of Zareer Darashah trained Symphony of Fire, the only horse to have clocked under one minute 14 seconds during the season. Appu had an arm-chair ride to victory as the Bold Russian progeny Symphony of Fire, after racing a handy second, stretched away from the rest in the run in for home to win as she pleased in a good timing of one minute 13.86 seconds. Devonlock finished on strongly to pip Blue Ridge for the second spot.

Karan Singh's Lance's Pet who had let down her supporters often during the season, was driven out to a comfortable win in the Parsiana Plate (Div II), with Beverly Babe finishing second ahead of Emerald Forest who had all the chances to win but was not fully exploited. The upper division of the race went the way of Al Bashir who provided veteran Shafiq his 999th win, according to the record maintained by the jockey himself.

Forest Boy made amends for his last start failure as he came up with a good burst of speed to get past the front-running Soviet Fire who was looking like causing a big upset, to win the Chaitanya Chakram Plate. Belief finished on strongly to take the second spot.

Darius Byramji trained Al Dente was not unduly stretched when holding off the challenge of the opposition in the Highclere Stud Plate, a race for horses rated 30 to 45. The Razeen progeny is in good nick and should repeat. Ornate Crown showed good improvement to pip Celtic Bleu for the second spot.

The style of victory of Darius Byramji's Surfside was pretty impressive. The Green Forest progeny showed her appreciation of the mile long trip that she was asked to cover, with an emphatic victory, after being a little sluggish at the start. Gold Crest  was no match for the winner. X-Pac who was quietly fancied to win, could do no better than finish third.

The last two races of the day saw favourites Autarky and Allocate, both trained by Padmanabhan, perform poorly. Royal Steps who was campagined over an extended trip of 2200 metres, relished the staying trip, to win emphatically, to provide Arjun Mangalorkar, success at last. Favourite Autarky ran like a dud, the steep penalty for his runaway win, halting his progress. Royal Garter who is running consistently, was second ahead of Almaz while Largeandincharge who is a pretty decent performer at Hyderabad, once again found the Bangalore opposition too tough to handle.

Altenburg had let down his supporters twice over reduced trips but found foot over a mile long trip as he easily shot post the front-running Ardous to win with a measure of comfort the Treasure Girl Plate. Allocate struggled hard to overtake Ardous and ran out under pressure and finally finished a poor fourth. Gypsie's Wish who was one of the market fanices, too was never in the reckoning.

Bonzer (Pesi Shroff up), winner of  the Bangalore St Leger, being led in by (from left): trainer Dhariwal, Mrs Rekha Mallya, Dr Vijay Mallya and A K S Brar

Film star and member of Parliament Ambarish presenting the Bangalore St Leger to Mrs Rekha Mallya. Looking on is Dr Vijay Mallya and A K S Brar.

Financier (Mani up), winner of the D M Shivaswamy Memorial Cup, being led in by trainer Mangalorkar and owner Savi Jain.

Lunar Ray (Malesh Narredu up), being led in by trainer Satish Narredu and Ganapathy, racing manager of Dr MAM Ramaswamy.

Silver Hope (Malesh Narredu up), winner of  D M Shivaswamy Memorial Plate (Div II), being led in by trainer Karan Singh and S Ganapathy.

Surfside (Ruzzan astride), winner of  Royal  Challenge Plate, being led in by trainer Darius Byramji.

Lance's Pet (B Prakash up), winner of Parsiana Plate (Div II), being led in by trainer Karan Singh and S Ganapathy.

Al Dente (Aslam Kader up), winner of Highclere Stud Plate, being led in by trainer Darius Byramji. Jockey Aslam Kader who was out of action for three weeks due to rib-cage injury, returned with a bang on Al Dente.

Mrs D M Shivaswamy presenting the Shivaswamy Memorial Cup to Savi Jain, owner of Financier which won the event. Looking on is Sailesh Shivaswamy

King's Common (Rakesh up), winner of  Astronomic Plate, being led in by trainer Puttanna.

Celestial Gold (B Prakash up), winner of Divine Light Plate (Div II),  being led in by trainer Jim Foley (left) and Ganapathy, racing manager of Dr M A M Ramaswamy

Silvano (Mrs Silva Storai up), winner of Divine Light Plate (Div I), being led in by trainer Irfan Ghatala.

Royal Steps (I Chisty up), winner of  V G Saravanam Memorial Cup, being led in by trainer Arjun Mangalorkar.

Altenburg (C Alford up), being led in by trainer R R Byramji.

Al Bashir (Shafiq up), winner of Persiana Plate (Div I) being led in by trainer Md Khan. According to the record maintained by the jockey, this was his 999th win.