Favourites set the trend 
By Aalibaba (indiathoroughbreds@hotmail.com)

Kolkata
Mar 13, 2007

A crowd of nearly ten thousand rooted for Haunting Memories when the Placerville daughter galloped to victory in the Nanoli Stud Sprinters’ Cup (Gr.1) on Saturday. For 12 years, RCTC’s punters haven’t had a view of horses of national stature and the staging of the 2007 Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend in this eastern metropolis was welcomed by many local race-goers. The Invitational weekend provided them ample opportunities and also brought about a realization that their own stock of thoroughbreds needed quite an upgradation. However, things at the RCTC are beginning to fall in place and the pride of an age-old institution may be restored in years to come.

The Sprinters’ Cup was a hard fought race for Haunting Memories, though her two-length winning verdict does not suggests so. The S.Ganapathy-ward was always up with the front runners and immensely under pressure to overtake the leader, Dynasty, who tried to win almost from the start and frustrated jockey Colm O’Donoghue’s efforts on the 5-4 favourite till about 125m from home. The pressure also told upon the winner in the final furlong as she shifted out but O’ Donoghue kept the filly at her task. The fact that a total of six lengths separated the first seven horses, it speaks very highly of the Sprinters’ Cup field.

Aperitivo’s victory in the 3,000m Grade 1 Olympia Technology Park Stayers’ Cup was relatively much easier as none of his six rivals had been showing form at their respective centers. The Vijay Singh-trained horse, on the other hand, had notched up four races on the trot during the current season. His emphatic victory gave the local crowd much to cheer about.

The race was run at a fairly fast pace with Star Phoenix leading the way before retiring in the first 1,000m. Amazing One and Scintilating Skill were at the helm till past the halfway mark but the latter always looked the more comfortable of the two while Aperitivo was ridden off the pace in fifth, behind Star Of Windsor and Gentlemans Deal. However, Aperitivo quickly improved places in the last 800m and took over the running from Scintilating Skill at the top of the final turn. C. Rajendra kept the horse going under the stick and his verdict increased with every stride. In the final 250m, Gentlemans Deal came with a late run to occupy the second slot easily from a tiring Scintilating Skill.

Badge Of Gold, the hottest favourite on the day, routed his two rivals in the 1,400m Japan Cup. The Razeen-Veena’s Pet son allowed Regal Connection to show the way till the final turn before going away from the field. O’Donoghue just needed to use hands and heels as the 9-50 hot fancy coasted home.

However, another 2-10 favourite, Glenbervi, proved a big letdown in the day’s opener, the 1,600m Calcutta Bookmakers’ Association Trophy. The Robin Corner-trainee led from the start but pulled up lame, allowing Dancing Storm to pass without a contest.

Candle Light, however, amply compensated Corner later in the afternoon, with a facile victory over an O’Donoghue-ridden 8-10 favourite, King’s Charter, in the 1,200m Jaswanti Sud Memorial Cup. Trainer Errol Bhungard and his stable jockey, Imran Chisty, pulled off a good double through Bold Queen and Ecstatic Pride. The former scored a bloodless victory in the Desert Warrior Cup to suggest that she may do the trick again. Ecstatic Pride, on the other hand, made good use of his light handicap, though Chisty had work hard to beat Ciraja in a closely contested race.