ALLIED FORCES ASSERTS HIS CLASS; SANS EGALE FADES OUT

Trainer Padmanabhan leading in Autarky (C Alford up), winner of Noble Princess Plate on Saturday.

Good Win (Imran Chisty up), winner of  Royal Tern Plate (Div I), being led in by owner B Noorulla Khan (right) and trainer Inayathulla.

Barrier Ridge (B Prakash up), winner of H B Gundappa Gowda Memorial Cup, being led in by trainer Jim Foley.

DARIUS BYRAMJI  trained Allied Forces highlighted the vast gulf that exists   between the horses of his generation and the next when he swamped the opposition in the 2200 metres Maharaja's Cup (Grade III), the feature event of the races held on Sunday (July 9). Interestingly, the first four placed horses all belonged to India's leading horse owner Deepak Khaitan.

With Smart Chieftan and Saddle Up having been shipped abroad to race in Singapore and Malaysia, the stars of the previous year were missing from action in the Maharaja's Cup. Alchemy and Bonzer who had played second fiddle to Smart Chieftan, were expected to battle it out for honours. Allied Forces, despite having the measure of Saddle Up in the Stayers Cup in April, was ignored in the betting ring, as the six-year old gelding was  going into the race without any preparatory run. As he was shouldering a welter weight of 62 kgs and was ridden by Ryan Marshall who had not opened his account, the market fancies were Bonzer and Alchemy. In the event, both were found wanting as Allied Forces sliced through the field to win with a measure of comfort, to record his second  Maharaja's Cup success.

Allied Forces who came into his own as a four-year old after disappointing runs in classics, had won the Maharaja's Cup two years ago which signaled his coming to form but on that occasion, he was favoured by the terms of the race. Now assigned to carry two kgs more than four-year old Bonzer, his chances were not considered good but his style of victory only highlighted the fact that the last year's crop, barring Smart Chieftan, was pretty run-of-the-mill.

In a slow run race, Audible set the pace, with  Allied Forces settled right back. Inside the final 350 metres, almost all the runners were in a line when Allied Forces came from behind with a brilliant run to sail past the front-runners. Three horses went past the post locked together two lengths behind the winner and the photo-finish camera separated them. Mount Rose necked out Alchemy who in turn was an identical distance ahead of Alameda. Great Investment finished a whisker behind Alameda while Bonzer was a close sixth. In the condition that he is in, Allied Forces who has proved to be a late bloomer like all members of his family,  should be a cinch in the Governor's Cup where he will run next.

The biggest disappointment of the day was the defeat of highly rated Sans Egale in the Boradacres Stud Plate, a race for horses rated 30 to 45. Sans Egale was expected to have a cakewalk in the race after which she was to be rested before proceeding  to Mumbai for the Indian classics. All plans went awry as Sans Egale lost tamely to Sterling Fantasy who has made good progress this season, winning in the hands of jockey B Prakash, with a measure of comfort. Elusive Emperor battled on to take the third spot ahead of Royal Triumph.

Sea Farer became the second of the Dhariwal's wards to win at fancy price when the Green Forest progeny left the field for dead, with a start to finish win in the division III of the Young Rajput plate. On money favourite Cool Quest turned out to be a dud. Yet another long priced horse Decorated Star won the division II of the same race, with a measure of comfort from Alsheim where Tippler and Adorer (reportedly a roarer) were the fancied ones. The trend of upsets was carried to the division I too when Silver Toy won at fancy price. Vijay Singh trained Areezo who was the betting rage, surrendered tamely after raising hopes inside the final 250 metres. Star Blitz and Ispahan went past the post locked together but the former was better by a nostril at the finish.

Zareer Darashah trained Brave Deed who was a suggestive fourth last time out, was expected to have a decisive say in the R Shamalan Memorial Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 35. Brave Deed did oblige but only due to some good riding by jockey Appu who pushed his mount through a narrow opening along the rails, to stave off the challenge of Almaz in a close finish. Soul of Gold who has been running good races after having been shifted to longer trips from sprint races, was a close third despite having met with interference at a crucial stage of the race.

Trainer Dominic had a double through Zouk and Musky Bird who won as strong market fancies. Karan Singh's Rosalie run a game race as the mare lost   considerable ground at the star. Apprentice jockey Sachin's leg brushed against the starting gates at the start which caused him to loose his balance.

Dynamic Gamble who had lost a certain race last time due to inept handling by jockey Shelar, made amends, with Warren Singh having to ride with all the resources at his command, to get past the front-running Lovely Lips. Dynamic Gamble ducked in under pressure and then had to be pulled out get the nod at the wire.

BARRIER RIDGE returned to form in splendid fashion in the 1200 metres H B Gundappa Gowda Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, the feature event of Saturday's races. Barrier Ridge who had performed creditably last year, was surprisingly off colour this season but nevertheless was consistently placing.

Jockey Prakash took Barrier Ridge to the front at around the 600 metre marker and the Broto progeny sped away from the rest to win quite handsomely from Joe The Pro and moody customer Admiral. Minoan who came in for spirited betting, failed to quicken at the all important stage. Considering the fact that Dominic's horses show violent swing in their performance level,

Padmanabhan trained Daggers Drawn who was expected to have it easy in the 2000 metres Kumarajajah MAM Muthiah Cup, a race for horses rated 20 to 35, but the saddle slipped back and jockey Pesi Shroff could not offer any assistance to the Steinbeck progeny who finished in the rut as a result. It may be recalled that in the earlier instance when Pesi rode Andreyev, saddled  by the same trainer, the saddle had shifted back. Mayfair who had run a suggestive race last time out, went away for an emphatic victory, with Royal Garter showing appreciable return to form, by finishing second. Largeandincharge was expected to run well but was a poor third.

Trainer Samar Singh who is going through a lean patch, had a winner coming at last albeit unfancied, in the form of Living Together in the Chantille Plate, a race for the lowest rated horses. Mum's The Word was shaping like a winner but was found wanting when Living Together came up with a flourishing run in the hands of apprentice Amit. However, Samar Singh's other ward Narvar who was backed at the exclusion of his rivals in the  Royal Tern Plate (div I),  was found wanting as the gelding finished a poor third. Goodwin won quite capably from Forest Pegasus. The division II of the race was claimed by favourite King's Common who came through a difficult passage to win comfortably from Winning Charm and Silver Touch. Jockey Ronald who rode Silver Touch was stood down by the Stewards for his lackluster efforts on the Charon progeny.

Darius Bryamji trained Shearwalk recorded a smashing win in the 1400 metres Camino Plate, a race for maiden three year olds. Shearwalk led from the word `go' and left the field for dead. Projection was a longway second ahead of Harry the Horse.

Padmanabhan trained Autarky was seen in different light as the Tirol progeny appreciated the step up in distance, winning as she liked from Sinister Minister and favourite Northern Frontier. However, Padmanabhan's other ward Melodeon who came in for spirited betting in the last race of the day, was found wanting at a crucial stage of the race, as Hello Brother who too was fancied   strongly, emerging better at the finish. Great Eastern was a close third.

Trainer Darius Byramji leads in Allied Forces (Ryan Marshall up), after the Razeen progeny recorded his second Maharaja's Cup win on Sunday.

Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar presenting the Maharaja's Cup to trainer Darius Byramji

Lyrical Fantasy (B Prakash up) who upset Sans Egale, being led in by trainer Satish Narredu (left) and Ganapathy (right), Dr MAM Ramaswamy's racing manager.

Living Together (Amit up), the first winner for Samar Singh this season, being led by the trainer (left) and owner T R Rangarajan (right)

Owner Savi Jain (right) and trainer Madhu Mangalorkar lead in Hello Brother (Rakesh up), winner of   Manitou Plate.

Trainer Dhariwal leads in Sea Farer (Kasbekar up), the surpriser of in the division III of the Young Rajput Plate.

Trainer Kuttapa leads in Mayfair (S Rajesh up), winner of Kumararajah MAM Muthiah Cup.

King's Common (Bernard Up), Winner of Div II The Royal Tern Plate, being led in by Trainer B.Puttanna

Dynamic Gamble (Warren Singh up) who won in a close finish from Lovely Lips, being led in by trainer Santosh Rao (left) and owner M N Prasad.

Silver Toy (Ruzzan up), winner of the division III of the Young Rajput Plate, being led in by trainer Darius

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