Solar Falcon failed to impress in his victory
By Aalibaba (indiathoroughbreds@hotmail.com)Kolkata
March 01, 2006
Daniel David’s Solar Falcon made a good use of his light impost of 50kg to walk away with the Surfside Cup, a race for three-year-olds, over 1,200m. The race got the top status in the day’s seven-event card by a default as a Class III Trophy event had fallen through owning to paucity of entries.
Nevertheless, punters got a fair deal on the day as odds offered on most of winners were good. Solar Falcon for instance, should have been an odds-on favourite yet the Warrshan-Flyaway Bride colt went to the start as a 4-1 chance, thanks to some solid wagering on stable’s other runner, Notable Guest, who was looking for his third straight win from as many starts.
Notable Guest did make a fair attempt in that direction by making his own running from the start. The 7kg weight disadvantage, however, told upon the Tirol-Anniversary son approaching the distance-post, leaving Solar Falcon, who was galloping a handy third until then, to seize the opportunity. Apprentice Gajender Singh partnered the winner but he failed to keep a straight course. The erratic running of the winner also allowed another stablemate, Amber Glory, to finish close enough. Solar Falcon had never behaved in a similar manner before and it is hoped that Daniel would take corrective measured on a colt who could win him more races.
Earlier in the afternoon, Daniel’s Regal Venture had scored a pillar-post victory in the hands of apprentice Amandeep Singh. The 7-4 favourite looked a winner at the top of the turn and could do the trick again.
Trainer Javed Khan’s Local Thriller won the 1,600m Red Bay Handicap far more easily than expected, thanks to Regal Notes who decided to go all over the course in the final stretch to lose precious ground. The Vijay Singh-trainee’s erratic run also marred the winning chances of Grand Ceremony who was badly interfered by Regal Notes. The horse was rightly disqualified from the second slot following a successful abjection raised by the jockey of Grand Ceremony.
Vikash Jaiswal led in the fourth winner of his career following Schumacher’s facile victory over Secret Desire in the 1,400m Black Buck Handicap. Brother Vijay, who steered the winner, had the nine-year-old settled behind a runaway Destiny’s Trick till the final turn. He sent Schumacher into a three-length lead and scored untroubled over Secret Desire who was hard-pressed to beat Destiny’s Trick for the second slot.
It was father Tarak Nath’s turn to avail the service of his son, Vinay, in the following event, the 1,100m Sholay Handicap. Vinay guided the 11-year-old Regal Rocket to an easy victory.
Legal Lady, a 2-1 shot, provided a much needed winner to her trainer John Stephens in the 1,100 Twilight Lady Plate for maiden three-year-olds. The Batzushka-Loyal Resolve daughter was, however, somewhat lucky as the favourite, Psychic Blue, lost much ground at the start to do anything worthwhile. Javed Khan’s Charulata who placed a decent second looks like a coming winner. The Dancing Beggar-Swarna Sundary-filly led till beaten past the distance-post.
Trainer Errol Bhungard’s heavily fancied Traditional Style had no peers to match her speed in the 1,200m Rontgen Handicap, which she won from the start and handsomely, too, from Mayavi and a late finishing River Rafter.
