Aleksei wins in workmanlike manner
By Aalibaba (indiathoroughbreds@hotmail.com)

Kolkata
August  02, 2006

All eyes were on Aleksei, in Wednesday afternoon’s feature event, the Roubaix Cup. The Vijay Singh-trained ward was heavily supported last winter in the St Leger but had let down badly. On this day, Aleksei won but just about from Capture The Moment who chased the Razeen-Remembren son almost from the start. Although, jockey C.Alford never gave the four-year-old a punishing run when challenged by Capture The Moment, the ‘long-neck’ victory of the 4-10 hot-favourite left a very pertinent question unanswered. Was the jockey saving the favourite from bursting blood vessels? Aleksei had suffered from the ailment twice in his three winter starts.

Alford continued to ride out Aleksei with hands and heels even when Mark Reuben brought the Robin Corner ward within a neck of the favourite.

The Vijay-Alford combo opened their season’s account, in the 1,100m Reliable Plate, when Flemenco Star, handed a thorough beating to a field packed with Daniel David-hopefuls. Lying a handy third, Alford allowed the opposition to call the shots till 300m from home before asking the 8-10 favourite to do his own running. Once allowed a free run, Flemenco Star lengthened his strides and for a five-length easy victory over a lowly placed Sights Of Gold and a strongly fancied Polar Magic.

Daniel’s Bold Display was the only other favourite to delive the goods, on an afternoon that witnessed some rude shocks. In the Osiris Handicap, the five-year-old revealed his last winter’s form and looked to be in full command upfront from the start, giving jockey Imran Chisty his only winning ride on the day.

The start of the day was somewhat inauspicious for punters when a friendless Firing Power kicked on to hold Daniel’s Presidium to claim the 1,400m Pentagon Handicap.

Harvinder Singh Bath’s Nose Nothing was unstoppable despite going all over the turf in the home stretch. In the Gumaan Handicap, the four-year-old galloped close behind the favourite Tip Toes till 150m from home before issuing his winning challenge. The favourite found the going tough in the last 100m thereby allowing Chisty on Aiischa to pass easily.

Corner has been trying to cash in on his limited stock early in the season, before the heavyweights step in. Although his Capture The Moment failed against a superior Aleksei, Corner’s Bollywood Dreams made the day for the stable. Branded as an unreliable customer, Bollywood Dreams went kindly for jockey Surjeet Singh in the Anticipator Handicap. Out-paced for a major part of the 1,400m trip, the 10-1 shot exhibited a good turn of foot to overhaul Star King and Wizard Of Oz in the final 75 metres.