Accede proves his mettle
By Sharan Kumar

Accede who failed to live up to classic hopes nursed by his connections, asserted himself when brought back to a handicap race by winning the K N Chennabasappa Memorial Cup in taking style. The son of Razeen was highly rated by the formidable gold and brown brigade but barring the Guineas at Malakpet, he had drawn a blank in classics and came a cropper in the Ramnarain Ruia Trophy after which he suffered from soundness problems. Ambitiously campaigned nevertheless in terms races, Accede failed to make an impression. The connections brought him back to a handicap race where potential for exploitation remained. Barring Accede who had no recent form to strongly recommend his credentials, the rest of the contenders were more or less closely matched. Accede who showed out in the paddock parade albeit sporting bandages won as he pleased from Southern Goddess and Brunswick.

Prakash raced Accede in fourth or fifth position till turning for home and quickly moved up through the middle. The four-year old gelding asserted his supremacy in a trice and went away for a comfortable win. Southern Goddess moved up from behind to edge out long time leader Brunswick for the runner up berth. Star Alone who ran prominently, weakened to be fourth. Now that Accede has shown a return to form, he may continue his progress if restricted to handicaps as he has some more scope on this front.

Accede (B Prakash up) winning The K.N.CHENNABASAPPA MEMORIAL CUP


Iflookscouldkill (Christopher up) leading at 500m turn 

Connivance who has just one win to her credit, went into the Leading Stud Cup as an overwhelming favourite while Chimango, who had won her last outing in brilliant fashion, was ignored in the betting ring. Red Chief finally campaigned over a trip, which suited him the most, was next in demand. In the event, Connivance was a beaten horse well before the race took a serious turn. Golden Fortune and Chimango, who ran prominently in front, fought out the issue and the latter emerged victorious in the shadow of the post. Prakash on Red Chief did not maneuver to get a favorable position and by the time he got through a hampered passage, the race was far from his reach. Red Chief covered plenty of ground to be an eye-catching third. The day the stable fancies him strongly over an identical trip, he would be hard to toss.

In a thrilling battle of attrition, the consistent Arthi necked out favourite Gypsy King to record an overdue success in the Mystic Memory Plate (Div I). Calescent reared up while being stalled and jockey C Alford hurt himself and was carried off on a stretcher. Fantasy Strip had all the chances but was not good enough. She needs time to come into her own. Big Dream ran freely in front till passed by the other hopefuls approaching the final bend. 

Aracaju was the impressive winner of the lower division. Most Convincing was withdrawn from the fray as jockey Suraj Narredu had a fall the previous day at Mysore and the authorities did not give a suitable replacement. Suraj who shares the second position in the jockeys tally, is put in the `C' category where he has exalted company of jockeys who are fortunate if they get a ride or two in a month while winless wonders are classified in `A' category. The Stipes categorize the jockeys at the beginning of the season, take a holiday in the intervening period and wake up to revise the list at the end of the season! While the ratings of 100 horses are revised week after week, the Stipes do not find any merit in such an exercise. How can a jockey of the caliber of Suraj be placed in `C' Category defies explanation. Though Suraj could have fulfilled his commitments for the day, the rule stipulates that even if the jockey is temporarily incapacitated by a fall during a race, he cannot ride for 48 hours. What is sacrosanct about the number of hours that a jockey needs to stay out when he can be fit enough to ride after a couple of hours? The law can be an ass if applied mechanically.

Arthi (Shoubhan up) winning The Mystic Memory Plate Div I from Gypsy King (R Marshall up)

Arcaju (M Narredu up) winning the Mystic Memory Plate Div II

Milan had run a brilliant race in his previous essay but inexplicably he lapsed into his old self, giving a poor account of himself. Milan has never been a model of consistency and his form fluctuation has been the dismay of race goers who have to take beating week after week in the hope that someday things will change for the better. Beat It Dude cantered home, with Star Chivalry taking the runner up berth.

On day which was marked by a couple of memorial races, Imtiaz Sait trained Self Appointed who enjoys a good rating from the stable, won quite competently the Maj Newton Davis Memorial Cup over a mile from a late-finishing Self Decision. Self-Appointed easily staved off the challenge of the front-running Perfect Ten but could have been troubled by Self Decision if the daughter of Local Talent found foot much earlier. Perfect Ten who had cut a good time over an identical trip last time out, faded out to be third, the ``shifty'' going perhaps working against her.

Padmanabhan trained Reconquista got the better of front-running Highlevel close home to win the Ruia Stud Plate (Div I). Highlevel who was a bidding for a hat trick, did well despite being brought back in distance. Castle Park who was running after a long lay off could have landed the spoils but she met with interference at the start. Though Pesi Shroff rode a peach of race, nursing her through the rails, Castle Park had to force her way through a gap through the middle inside the final 100 metres. The daughter of Diffident covered plenty of leeway on the front-runners but the wining post was sighted too early for comfort. All Rainbows won the lower division of the race at the expense of Marmalade. There was some support for Dare You Say who had been showing out in the workouts but it was difficult to make how serious was he in the fray.

Chapmans Peak lived up to the promise of her last run with an emphatic win over Caitraratha in the Ministrella Plate (Div I). Merango was a late-finishing third ahead of Dramatic Heights who ran into one problem or the other and had a troubled passage. Capanelle won the other division at nourishing odds. The Zamindar who was backed to the exclusion of his rivals, lost some ground at the start and thereafter struggled to catch up the eventual winner. 

Self Appointed (Y S Srinath up) winning The MAJ.NEWTON DAVIS MEMORIAL CUP from Self Decision (David Badel up)

Reconquista (M Narredu up) winning The Ruia Stud Plate Div I from Highlevel (Appu up)

In the day's other action, apprentice Jagadeesh who is riding with confidence, drove out Beauty Mission to victory over Agnivarsh in the 2400 metres Ministerial Plate. Favourite Oenology did not justify the overwhelming support in the ring.