Allabreva showed no signs of
slackening and kicked on merrily even after entering the
homestretch but Resist The Force managed to get the better of
the front-runner inside the final 100 metres. When everything
seemed last for Soviet Song as the filly had a wall of horses in
front, Shroff pulled out wisely without pausing to hope for a
split and his move turned out to be spectacular. Soviet Song too
responded gamely and easily, it was one of fine pieces of riding
that one has seen in recent times that ensured the victory of a
horse. Resist The Force kept the runner-up spot ahead of
Allabreva and Alylady. Bountiful Gesture who had run a
dead-heated fourth with Soviet Song the last time out on similar
terms, ran below par to finish in the rut. But then Darashah
wards are rarely known to maintain the same level of performance
and the form graph often varies violently. The Music Man who
looked gross, should strip fitter after this forward run and he
may be an early bird at Mysore.
Almost Heaven who started the season with a win and then a
listless run, won against the book of form, the 1400 metres
Highclere Stud Plate. The lesser-fancied horse from Darashah
stable quickened nicely to stave off the challenge of Augill
Castle by a narrow margin after being switched out of a pocket
along the rails. Favourite Tresorie did not relish the slow pace
of the race and could not quicken well enough and finished
third. Way To The Stars who had a hampered run, was a suggestive
fourth.
A poor set of juveniles contested the 1200 metres Chaitanya
Chakram Plate. Karan Singh's Top The Star, despite the trip
being sharp, nevertheless proved good enough to win. Rush cut an
erratic course and had the Enrico filly kept a straight course,
the result could have been different. April Ace finished third
with a good forward run.
Darius Byramji's Appleby was poorly handled by jockey C Alford
who gave the Razeen progeny too much to do in the straight when
Ma Baker was ridden cleverly in front by Gallagher. This time
out, Aslam Kader took no chances with the favourite as he kept a
handy second behind the front-running Brave Deed and then fought
out a resolute battle with three-year old Tapatio to win close
home to win the 2200 metres V G Saravanam Memorial Cup. The
Twist And Turn progeny Tapatio who is bred out and out to stay
should acquit himself better in winter as he needs more time to
get stronger. Star Splendour who relished the extended trip, was
a close third ahead off owner-mate Our Ambition.
Apprentice jockey Md Shafiq messed up on favourite Zoracia and J
Shukla who is riding with confidence of late, spurred by the
success he has had during the season, guided Another Crown to
her maiden win in the Parsiana Plate (Div I). Shafiq tried to
force his way through the rails and when the front-running
Another Crown closed the gap, he had nowhere to go. Had he
elected to switch the Broto progeny to the outside straightaway,
the outcome of the result could well have been different. In the
lower division of the race, Sirajuddin's Oscar who was held up
behind in the early part of the race, sprouted a pair of wings
on the wide outside and flashed past the front-running Omni
Presence and Cape Fear to record an encore.
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