Appu hogs the limelight
By Sharan Kumar

Bangalore
March 26, 2005

Jockey Appu has been going great guns. The talented jockey has been riding with great enthusiasm and his hunger has elevated him to the status of champion jockey this season with 40 odd winners. He dominated Saturday’s races with a haul of five wins in the card of eight events and this is not the first time that he has achieved this feat. Surely, he is the jockey of the moment and his achievement is praiseworthy because he does not ride for any big stable and he has to accumulate winners by riding all sorts of horses.

The day’s racing was highlighted by the Leading Stud Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 and above. Crown Secret who had run prominently in the classics has finally found her level in handicap races and her second successive win was always on cards. She went into the race at cramped odds and readily justified the strong faith in her abilities by winning with a great deal of ease. The daughter of Burden of Proof is surely on the ascendant and she should make her mark in terms races in Summer.  Jockey Ruzzan, who has found a new lease of life after being retained again by Dr. Vijay Mallya, took the favourite on a start to finish mission and she did not come under pressure at any stage of the race. Hero Worship managed to edge out Just Brave for the runner up spot.

Though Appu failed to guide home favourite On The Trail to victory in the day’s opener where Safari Brown brought off a big upset, there was no looking back thereafter. Boonlay who had failed as a fancied runner a couple of times, bolted in, putting a distance between herself and the rest. There was inspired support for Continental Pearl but as is the wont with jockey Warren Singh, he does not target his horses with a preconceived plan but takes his chances looking at the odds board and such tactics have ended in disaster right through the season. Appu had no problem in guiding Big Dream to a repeat win as the daughter of Duja showed good improvement over her previous essay by winning with great ease from Copper Sky and Braid Hills. There was solid support for Regal Shot but the Karan Singh trainee was never in the hunt. Roda Rosen did all the front-running in the homestretch and she would have surely won with better support from the saddle. Appu induced a good burst of speed from Mount Royale who collared Roda Rosen in the shadow of the winning post.

Star of Lords had been given a poor ride by jockey Vivek last time out. Backed to the exclusion of his rivals, the speedy son of Concordial won from the word `go’, with Hold The Fort, the second favourite, chasing the front-runner in vain. Appu’s other win for the day came through Grey Hawk who too won in identical fashion at the expense of Spring Fest and Synopsis. 

Indian Fame landed a quiet touch with a convincing win over Track Fantasy. Samyuktaa ran as a favourite but as is the case with such horses from trainer Irfan Ghatala, the five-year old mare ran dismally and finished a poor fourth.