JOE THE PRO MAKES AMENDS

IN EXCITING FINISH

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)

Antwerp (Aslam Kader up), winner of the Stewards Cup, being led in by trainer S Padmanabhan and breeder and part owner A K S Brar

 

DARASHAH trained Joe The Pro made amends for his failure last time out, by winning the 1200 metres Chief Minister's Cup, a Grade III event, which highlighted Sunday's races, in an exciting finish. Also redeeming their reputation were Columbus who ran a close second and Averoff who but for the rough passage she encountered at a crucial stage of the race, could well have been the winner.

Tempt Me Not who had won over seven furlongs in a terms race in his last outing, was the obvious favourite to win but he found the six furlong trip sharp and by the time he got going, the winners were already spotted.

Barrier Ridge, one of the lesser fancied horses, showed the way right upto the final 250 metres when the action hotted up. Joe The Pro shot through the middle to take over the running, with Columbus hot in pursuit. In the meanwhile, Aslam Kader pushed Averoff through the rails as there was wide gap but in a trice it closed as Minoan shifted in violently, causing Aslam to stop riding momentarily. Although Aslam still managed to push Averoff through the rails, the break in stride caused last year's Fillies Stakes Winner to end up as a close third. Although Columbus came up with a big run, Appu was able to keep Joe The Pro comfortably ahead at the finish.

Appu who was going through a lean patch, with just one win scored through Far Excellence in the first week, had a lucrative   treble, his other winners being Kingston Heath and Placid Ark. The win on Kingston Heath was acheived with a great deal of difficulty as Northern Frontier, the lesser fancied stablemate of favourite Sinister Minister, just about loosing out by a whisker in a 2000 metres race. Sinister Minister who was strongly fancied to win, ended up a poor third.

Placid Ark has been somewhat of a blank cheque for the Darashah stable. He has obliged whenever fancied by the stable. Brought down considerably in scale, he was the overwhelming favourite to win 1400 metres J J Mallick Memorial Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 35 restricted to five years old old. Although Placid Ark found the trip a trifle sharp, he was too good for the rest as he came up with a rattle from behind to easily sail past the front-running Aznu. Almaz was a suggestive third.

Racing was otherwise lacklustre on the day. A coup of sorts was brought off on Jim Foley trained Bold Chieftan whose form was well disguised. Assigned to D Patel, Bold Chieftan attracted a flood of money and justified the same, with an easy win over Wandering Warrior who found foot rather late in the day. There was some hype on Hyderabad's Chilling but the Green Forest progeny was not upto it, finishing a poor third.

Both the divisions of  the Kimberley Cup saw lesser fancied ones winning. In the upper division, as many as four horses were in the betting but with Boss Tweed being withdrawn just before stalling as he was found to be lame, Interface became a strong favourite. In the event, Sense of Humour showed up in the front from the word `go' and stretched away for an effortless win in the hands of apprentice Sachin. In the battle for minor placings, Figher's World edged out Catch Word for the second spot, with Interface taking the fourth spot.

In the lower division of the race, the odds quoted on The Ghost went against it. Held back thus far for a gamble, it was unlikely that the connections would be sanguine at a short quote and it was no surprise that it was Cormac who recorded a maiden win as a five-year old. The Ghost was second ahead of King's Common who was not too vigorously ridden by Nagesh for which he was stood down by the Stewards.

Padmanabhan trained Allocate had blazed the track, and despite the six furlong being too sharp for the Green Forest filly, she went as the shortest priced horse of the season. In the event, Allocate was not upto it, as Fantasy Flight, after being placed disadvantageously and navigating round the field, still was too good to spare close to fourth lengths at the finish. Allocate needs more ground to show her mettle. War Trumpet dragged himself to the third spot..

TRAINER Ananth Vatsalya brought off a shrewd gamble on Adjue Syndic in the lower division of the Buck Passer Plate, a terms race for maiden three year olds. Padmanabhan's Soap Opera who was racing after a surgery on the knee, was the betting rage, with Adjure Syndic next in demand.. Jockey Bhati bolted with  Adjure Syndic who had the benefit of a race run and the gelding,  managed to stave off the challenge of Soap Opera. The latter will surely make amends for this failure as she was not handled well by Ravinder Singh. Dancer's Dream was a late-finishing third. The upper division of the race was easily claimed by favourite Al Habib who had the best credentials. Code Word found the 1100 metres trip too sharp for her.

However, Padmanabhan was not to be denied as Antwerp who had made all his three starts in Bangalore a winning one in Winter, recorded his fourth straight win in the 1800 metres Stewards Cup in taking style. Antwerp was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Aslam Kader and the Geeen Forest progeny was not unduly stretched to contain the challenge of Mumbai's Mount Rose. Astronautics finished third while the unsound Ace Academy, after running prominently till the final bend, finished last.

Trainer Imtiaz Sait opened his account through Altazano who recorded a hard-fought win over Mohan Valavi's Desert Gold in the 1400 metres Galilee Plate, a terms race for three-year olds. Altazano was backed to the exclusion of his rivals but the favourite had to be ridden out fully by Aslam Kader to catch the front-running Desert Gold who had led from the word `go'. Desert Gold thus found one better in all his three outings but his time will come before long.

Madhu Mangalorkar's King's Star who had not missed the frame in all his outings, came up with good stretch run to collar the favourite Own Legacy close home to win the Pratap Stud Plate, a sprint race for horses rated 30 to 45. The 10-kg rap on Own Legacy for his last runaway win proved a stopper in the end. Bank of Promise once again ran well to finish third but the notable runners of the race were Personal Accord and Annatto who will be in the limelight soon.

Puttanna trained Royal Power finally obliged, edging out Princelene in a close finish. Princelene seemed to be the medium of a quiet touch. Princelene who had not displayed early speed hitherto, bolted from the gates and led all the way till passed by the eventual winner. Hot Property was third while the fancied Alisa finished in the rut. Tricon too was a disappointment, his fourth belying the expectations of the punters who reposed faith in him.

Come what may, trainer Sydney Moses will not change. He believes in running his horses well below their class to bring off coups. Sinatra who was taking on a poor lot in the lower division of the Guindy Plate after a series of  listless runs, duly obliged. Loknath Gowda's  Silk Petals who too was in the betting, finished on to take the third spot ahead of favourite Recapitulation who shot his bolt inside the final 350 metres. The division two of the same race saw Predominate, trained in the same pattern as Sinatra, trounce the opposition, with Chippo being a reluctant second.

 

 

 

 

June 10th and 11th complete results (with official placings)

Altazano (Aslam Kader up), winner of Galilee Plate, being led in  by trainer Imtiaz A Sait (left) and part owner and breeder A K S Brar

Adjure Syndic (S S Bhati up), winner of the lower division of the Buck Passer Plate,  being led in by owner Balram Akineni (left) and trainer Ananth Vatsalya.