Chisty keeps Daniel’s tally ticking
By Aalibaba (indiathoroughbreds@hotmail.com)Kolkata
Sep 20, 2006
Jockey Imran Chisty had reason to smile while most were irked by relentless rain on Wednesday. He braved the murky weather with a four-timer in the afternoon’s seven-event card.
The jockey’s efforts pushed trainer Daniel David’s tally of winners up by three, while Errol Bhungard, too, was benefited with a win.
Chisty opened his account in the feature event, the 2,000m Monsoon Cup. It was a scintillating performance from Star Phoenix which helped him win. The four-year-old was simply out-paced in the final furlong as the two less-fancied runners, Capture The Moment and Proud Native, went hammer and tongs with Star Phoenix nowhere in the picture. In the last 100m, Chisty’s magic-wand worked and the favourite produced an amazing gallop to the relief of his backers.
Much was expected from, Exclusive Affair, a sparingly raced horse from Vijay Singh’s yard. The 6-4 second-favourite, however, never raised a meaningful gallop at any stage of the race. The Alnasr Alwasheek son, perhaps, detested the soft underfoot conditions.
The task of Daniel’s King’s Charter was made easy by three withdrawals from the line-up in the 1,100 Metallic Handicap. The favourite showed his three rivals a clear pair of heels from the start.
The improving Bold Display recorded his fourth consecutive victory by winning the 1,100m Harry The Horse Cup and served notice that it was not the end of his winning streak. Chisty allowed the Daniel ward to settle close behind the hot-footed pair of Sea Legend and Karan’s Choice till a furlong from home before kicking away for a shade under four-length victory.
Bhungard’s Bold Queen matched this victory margin in her event, the 1,400m Kingcraft Handicap which she won from the start with a degree of comfort. The Santiago daughter looks good for an encore.
The Delhi-based trainer Shafiq Khan had his share of luck with a good double His 5-1 chance Genesis put him on course in the Sprightly Handicap. Apprentice Vijay Jaiswal who guided the winner rode a well-judged race, utilising Genesis’ small burst to good effect after holding the mare back until 250m from home. Khan’s Asmi, also a 5-1 shot, was ridden differently by Md. Islam. The speedy daughter of Bee’s Prospector made her own running and lasted out to beat Presidium in the Colours Handicap.
Samarrah, the even-money favourite in Asmi’s race was a victim of stable’s wrong strategy. The favourite was asked to gallop well off the pace while the stablemate, Presidium, chased the winner. It was only inside the final 200m that Chisty started punishing the horse. Samarrah needs to be kept in mind when the filly runs again.
Chisty’s 65-100 hot-fancy Accendere pulled up lame nearing the home turn, leaving the stage clear for John Stephens’ Mythical Star to win the 1,400m La Gitana Handicap from a late finishing Dancing Vision.
