Lack
of ability to identify talent has often been the undoing of many a
talented horse. Not rated highly by the stable in the formative stages
of her career, Star Luminary burst into classic contention after being
used as a pace-maker at Mysore before being given an opportunity to show
her mettle in the Bangalore 1000 Guineas. Star Luminary seized the
opportunity to become a classic winner and then continued the good show,
winning the Gr 2 Bangalore Oaks quite comprehensively from her only
realistic challenger Appeasing. History is replete with horses being
discovered mid-way through the career and horses, originally earmarked
as classic, suffering the fate of ending up pace-makers.
It is a pity that so much talent is wasted in one stable. A better
spread of quality horses would make for a healthy competitive
environment in the classics in the country. Today's classics have lost
their meaning, even the element of surprise being absent because one
stable has all the ammunition while the others are left to manage with
horses of inferior ability.
Be that as it may, one has to be lucky to be training for a turf baron
like Dr M AM Ramaswamy. He calls the shots in every sense of the term.
One has to admire his single-minded pursuit of winning classics because
nothing comes without spending enormous amount of money, effort and
everything else required to be successful. Though there were three well
bred horses from trainer Ganapathy running in the Oaks, it was only Star
Luminary who was expected to figure at the prominent end. While
pace-maker Our Royale expectedly finished down the order, Mesmerising
finished in distress, the jockey having to dismount soon after passing
the winning post as the last horse.
Only Royale took the job of a pace-maker as the starter dispatched the
field for the mile and a half trip, with Appeasing racing in about
fourth position and Star Luminary gracing the rear. Approaching the 800
metres marker, Appeasing who enjoyed favouritism with the eventual
winner, surged into the lead even as Prakash on Star Luminary improved
places to take a striking position. Appeasing brought the field into
view, a few lengths clear of the rest but the lead was short-lived as
Star Luminary came up with her patented burst of speed to go clear.
Appeasing ran on to finish second ahead of Symbol of Speed while the
rest were stranded way behind.
Simply Spectacular who hadn't been allowed to run to potential in his
last start, was seen in true colours as he put daylight between himself
and the opposition to win in great style. Simply Spectacular had twice
let down as a favourite when ridden by Prakash but this time out, he
combined effectively with Colm D'Donoughe who managed the get the full
brother to Indian Derby winner Star Supreme to stretch away from the
field after sticking to the rear in the early part of the mile long
trip. Pret A Porte battled it out with Red Mustang for the second spot
while fancied Anchoret was not sighted.
Kilspinde recorded her second win of the season with one bad run
interspersed in her three runs. The BTC Stewards had let off jockey
Vijayan after he was punished by the Mysore Stewards for not letting the
horse to run on merits but the fact that the horse won twice, put the
decision to reverse the punishment in poor light. Kilspindie held on to
win from Maha Rani whose jockey Alikhan did not measure up to
expectations. With Queen's Glory not reproducing her last start effort,
it was left to Running Thunder to win with ease, the Star Contender
Plate which incidentally did not have any contender to pose a challenge
to the supremacy of the favourite.
Badge of Gold who was an eye-catching second despite being not allowed
to show out by jockey Babu, had it easy against first timer Retribution
who ran green but nevertheless finished a good second. Retribution who
is a full brother to Derby winning Elite Zone is rated highly by the
stable.
All Dancing made it a start to finish affair of the 1200 metres Ardent
Knight Cup, winning at the expense of Cedros who has this habit of
finding one better on most occasions. Jersey Pride showed some
improvement when coming from way behind to finish third. Beyond Therapy
put up a pathetic show and ended a dismal last.
Mid Summer Star enabled trainer Pradeep Annaiah to lead in a winner
after a fairly long gap. Mid Summer Star won at nourishing odds at the
expense of Alejandros and late-finishing Suave. Star of Excellence who
was strongly fancied to win, was tardy at the start and was picking up
momentum when the front-runner had reached the safety of the winning
post. In the day's other action, Look Alike gulped down a lot of public
money by running a tame third. Jazz Dancer shaped to bring off an upset
with a start to finish dash but another long shot Custer put paid to her
hopes with a strong run in the final furlong.
