Tarak Jaiswal's long shot rule
By Aalibaba (indiathoroughbreds@hotmail.com)

Kolkata
April 15, 2007

Adderly's victory in the Zeeba Cup, the main event on Wednesday,was received with shock and disbelief. Trainer Tarak Nath Jaiswal's ward had badly trailed the field in his only outing this season and was completely ignored in the betting. However his recent barrier-trial was impressive and he carried that form into the race. In the final stage of the race, he was very erratic and badly cut across the field. As a result of this, a heavily fancied Bollywood Dreams suffered while making headway along the rails. The Stewards found nothing wrong in Adderly's game run and no enquiry was ordered.

Adderly was always upfront with Shining Example but he went wayward when jockey Gajender Singh applied pressure while Acrostic, Mythical Star and Bollywood Dreams were closing in.

Earlier in the afternoon, Tarak's Finders Keeper, another longshot, won the So Amazing Cup. The 10-year-old mare shot clear of the field in the home straight for a facile three-length victory over Innocent Eyes, the half-money favourite, who never posed a serious threat to the winner.

Daniel David's Majestic Poet caved in under pressure from Royal County Down nearing the distance-post and allowed the Robin Corner trainee to shoot clear clear after a brief tussle in the Wind Song Handicap. Corner's had earlier led in Body And Soul who had the measure of the Prakash-ridden Anokato in the Keewattin Handicap.

The odds-on favourite, Mystro, was withdrawn from the President's Putter Handicap after jockey C.Alford was unseated and was badly injured at the start. The stage, therefore, was set for Daniel's Mozart to win. Mozart had been running forward races. Apprentice Amandeep Singh, atop the Mischevious Music son, however, failed to take a clean start, and as a result of this, it was not before the 800m marker that Mozart could takeover the running from Glenbervie. His three-length lead in to the final stretch came under threat as the race headed for a serious business. The gutsy apprentice, nevertheless, hung on to it for a short-neck victory over Spectacular Star and the late finishing El Cid.

Trainer Vijay Singh also had his share luck in the seven-event card. His Regal Appeal scored a workmanlike victory in the Gold Finder Handicap before Arythia had an easy measure of her eight rivals in the Amberetta Plate.

Mark Reuben, who replaced the injured Alford, had Regal Appeal settled in the mid-bunch behind Arrayal, Modee Roch and Salinger till the halfway mark of the mile trip. The 7-10 favourite improved to be second approaching the final turn. It was easy after for him as Arrayal shortened his strides inside the last 200 metre. Asmodeus and Avisholom made a belated run from almost the wrong-end of the field.

Arythia, on the other hand, displayed a vast improvement since his belabored victory over Elegant Road. The Royal Gladiator-Sarah Scadara daughter led from the start and won untroubled.