SURPRISES GALORE DURING FIRST WEEK-END
JOE
THE PRO MAKES AMENDS IN EXCITING FINISH
(Reviews of June 10-11 Races)
BOUNTIFUL
GESTURE IMPRESSES; ALLAIRE FAILS TO SHOW OUT
(Review of 27th and 28th May Races at Bangalore)
SIX
SPEED IS SENSATIONAL ALLOCATED IS ANOTHER STAR
( Review of June 3rd and 4th Races)
THERE was a definite pattern in the results obtaining in the first week-end Bangalore Summer Races. While favourites obliged in the first four races on the opening day, rank outsiders in the subsequent races took away the gains. The pattern continued on Sunday too, with punters having mixed luck. The victory of rank outsiders like Own Legacy, Admiral, Bank of Promise, Pharoah resulted in the jackpot pools being carried over on both the days.
The pattern is likely to continue as the scales have been compressed further. With the seasonal drop of three kgs being given to all the horses, the horses are closely handicapped and winner-picking is bound to become increasingly difficult.
The only horse with classic potential to race during the week-end was Jim Foley trained Far Excellence. The Ramaswamy stable which boasted of the likes of Smart Chieftan last year, is yet to find someone who can turn out to be a brilliant classic prospect. As of now, the stables hopes are on Far Excellence and Starry Scene unless something bursts on the scene unexpectedly. The Steinbeck-Oiseau de Gueme three-year old gelding Far Excellence had finished a close third to Secret Halo in the Breeders Produce Stakes. despite poor handling by jockey Amyn Merchant.
Taking on a moderate opposition, Far Excellence won as he pleased. Since the quality of the opposition he beat pointless was ordinary, nothing much can be made out of this impressive win. Hello Brother who was strongly fancied by the stable in winter, showed improvement in form when finishing from behind to take the runner up spot ahead of X-Pac and Step In Time.
Trainer Jim Foley was in the news not for the win of Far Excellence but for the steep fine of Rs 20,000 that he was slapped by the Stewards on two counts, namely inconsistent running of his ward Accelerating Star and tendering misleading evidence during the enquiry. Hyderabad champion Suresh who rode Accelerating Star must have received a shock for trying his best not to let Accelerating Star run on merits. The Stewards withdrew his lincense for one year, a stiff punishment indeed considering the reluctance of them to pull up jockeys connected with big stables. Such strong action by the Stewards is sure to send a strong message to the professionals to be careful about their mis-adventures.
Be that as it may, Sunday's feature event, the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Cup, a terms affair for four-year olds and over, run over seven furlongs, saw public rage Averoff flop miserably to finish way down the order. The Steinbeck-Kolar Gold four-year old filly had lost to Smart Chieftan by a whisker in the Bangalore Derby last year had subsequently given a poor account of herself during her Mumbai sojourn. This rank bad performance only confirms the belief that all is not well with her. Ponnappa trained Temt Me Not who has been a game performer all through his career, was a decisive winner of the race, with Royal Aberdeen showing some of his old sparkle, coming from behind to take the runner-up spot. Padmanabhan trained Orabella did all the front-running and yet managed to run a fair third. Cup of Gold's flourish at the finish was suggestive of the fact that this Bold Russian filly can strike over extended trips unless she runs into tough company.
Inayathulla trained Scenic Song was a fancied winner of the Malenahalli Plate, a race for the lowest rated horses but the supporters of this favourite must consider themselves lucky as apprentice jockey Amit on Lovely Lips was found wanting. The Samar Singh ward Lovely Lips finished full of running but the leeway that Scenic Song had been given, stood the Czarinsky progeny in good stead. Lance's Pet finished late to be third. Lovely Lips should strike early.
Dominic had two winners on the day namely Concur and Skylight both of whom won in thrilling finishes. Concur was the betting rage in the 1200 metres Heir Apparent Plate but the Binkhaldoun progeny who was not positioned well in the early part by jockey Faisal, finished with a rattle to catch the front-running Star Wings on the post. Red Angel who was given a tender ride by jockey Appu is ready to strike.
Jockey Appu was not at his best astride Michael Eshwer's Sea Witch. The Green Forest progeny who was strongly favoured to win along with Alisa, came wide and finished with a rattle but Appu was unable to get his mount past the front-running Bank of Promise who held on by a neck. Alisa was not sighted while State Treasure finished with a rattle to take the third spot. The day this Jim Foley ward is raced over an extended trip, she is a cinch. The fact that Bank of Promise's part owner was Appu's father made many suspect Appu's intentions but then the latter had credentials to win what with apprentice jockey Amit claiming five kg allowance.
Jim Foley's Resplendent Star was strongly backed to win but the got-abroad filly buckled close home to the small made Darashah ward Pharoah. Apprentice jockey Shafiq did well to drive out his mount with all the resources at his command which resulted in the comic sight of him hitting the horse with his hand to goad the rank outsider. Shafiq who did not have the services of the whip was fined Rs 1000 for his antics.
Madhu Mangalorkar's Financier who was unlucky not to win his last outing in winter due to poor handling by apprentice Arun Rao, made amends, with a comfortable win, with strongly fancied Mussleburgh finishing a poor second. While the antics of Suresh on Accelerating Star came in for harsh punishment, that of Ryan Marshall on Cavala went unnoticed. The horse was raced way behind the field and covered acres of ground to suggest that an early win is in store for this Darashah ward. Measure By Measure too was in receipt of a dubious ride by jockey Faisal.
Dominic's Skylight just about lasted out to snuff out the challenge of Gracious Rohit. Despite the disadvantage of a draw, apprentice P Ramesh did well to take his horse to the front and the good lead he had established helped him in the end.Silver Hope was not given a punishing race by S Babu and it was not a surprise when the Stewards suspended the jockey upto June 18 for unsatisfactory riding.
TRAINER Mohan Valavi had the honour of saddling the first winner of the season when his ward Winelight who had been a consistent performer in winter, won the opening event of the season, the lower division of the Welcome Plate, run over a 1100 metres, with a start to finish attempt, on Saturday.
The Tecorno-Knowing three-year old Winelight proved too speedy for the rest, with Sine Mora finishing a distance behind. Even though the task was a hopeless one, jockey Bhati persisted in whipping his horse mercilessly for which he was slapped a fine. Projection was a reluctant third. The upper division of the same race was claimed by Royal Satin who recorded an emphatic win over Desert Gold.
Dominic's wards have been well prepared for early success and Chanel improved on his second behind Renzino in winter, to win the lower division of the Littleover Plate quite easily from Nobody's Angel who can be better off over extended trips. The upper division of the race saw Ponnappa's Mr Belvedere make mincemeat of the opposition, with London Bells finishing a faraway second.
The Mayor's Cup, the day's added attraction, was run in two divisions. The well bred Own Legacy who was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey D Patel, obviously with the intention of giving a lung-opener to his got-abroad, saw much to his chagrin, his mount stretching away from his rivals, without any perceptible effort on his part. Stablemate Assertive Allies who was one of the fancied runners, finished in the rut while favourite Gullane finished a poor third, with Royal Power showing good improvement to take the third spot.
The lower division of the race saw Supreme Glory win decisively from on-money favourite Deep In The Jungle whose win was taken for granted judging by the backing the Green Forest progeny received in the betting ring.
The Krishnaraja Wadiyar Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, the main event of the day, did not run kindly for the punters. Rank outsider Admiral won at the expense of lesser fancied Joe The Proe while Mumbai challenger Columbus who was the betting rage, finish edin the rut. Admiral who has been a moody customer has always run above expectations when under no pressure of carrying public money or stable's money.
Miachel Eshwer's patience with the unsound Boss Tweed paid handsome dividends when the Sir Bordeaux progeny just about lasted out to win the Sha Tin Plate, a race for the lowest rated horses. Pleasantville came up with a good finishing burst to finish a close second ahead of Al Bashir.
