RCTC stipes, stewards complement each other
By Aalibaba

The King has no choice but to live in the devils’ den. There was no improvement as such in the style of the RCTC functioning as punters continue to suffer because of any meaningful supervision. The monsoon season is four meetings old and favourites are yet to find their feet. One thought there could be light at the end of the tunnel after the victory of Sergeant Slipper, a 8-10 favourite in the Cherry Handicap. But that was a daydream. The Sergeant’s victory was covered by long knives on each side of the six-event card. Incidentally, Sergeant Slipper was the first odds on favourite to oblige in the four meetings. 

Amyn Merchant on Sergeant Slipper, the winner of the Cherry Handicap

Further, the new trend set by Daniel’s jockey Md Amil, by riding an odds-on favourite, Brighter Future into the ground, has gained the ground at the RCTC. Much like Amil’s reprimanded and a fined Rs 1,000 for riding an ill-judged race, the Wednesday afternoon’s offenders got similar benefits. The trend would certainly beat some of the southern centers hands down. 

The RCTC club member circles were sure that there was some understanding with the upper country style of functioning, and preferred not disturbing such arrangements. Otherwise how does one explain stewards letting jockey Amyn Merchant get scot-free on his last week’s dare devilry on Amber Song. In fact, some in the official circles, early this week, had gone out of their way defending the jockey and the horse. Certainly the RCTC stipes and the stewards complement each other. 

Merchant riding Amber Song, an 8-10 favourite, was seen toiling badly in the rear until the home turn and made some effort only past the distance post.

Now coming back to Wednesday’s ‘business unusual,’ jockey Paul Kujur on Daniel’s Dashing Chief in the day’s feature event, the Mysore Race Club Cup, did a Brighter Future and managed to hand over the trophy to Vijay Singh’s Calamint. The -stable’s strategy was to make the pace as hot as could be for the yard-mate Amber Time to enjoy it to the hilt. The half-fit Another Time, was however, unable to tackle Calamint’s effort leave alone beating Dashing Chief, the sacrificial goat who was 5-2 favourite. 

Vijay’s ward King’s Crest, a 14-10 favourite, also tried a similar trick and fare nowhere in the Maid Of Athens Handicap. The race was won by the top weighted Flying Scot from the yard of H. S. Bath who needed this win badly after the stipes had stood down his jockey G. Singh for allowing Tequila Shot not to run on his true merit. Tequila Shot, an eight-year-old champion had never known to be a genuine galloper and without a winning bracket for over two years. In the past, there have been many such inquiries opened but his style of running has always been peculiar. The city stipes on each earlier occasion had ended up making fool of themselves. In fact, Anjan Gupta, the ex-General Manager racing, now migrated to Canada, had once admitted to this scribe that the horse is a cheat. The present observers. One wished, had learnt from others’ mistakes. But, no. 

Calamint, the winner of the Mysore Race Club Cup

Anyway, the day also saw trainer Errol Bhungard trying to repeat his Day I feet when he reeled off a rich treble. Errol started off well with the short-head victory of his three-year-old Flying Dash in the Kingcraft Handicap. In the race, Merchant issued a well-judged challenge to notch up the verdict after allowing the top weight Sariano a comfortable cushion of a length from the start. However, his effort could have come to naught as the verdict was gained in his last stride. 

 

Trainer Farley Rodrigues is from an old school and his trick did pay the rich dividends. His ward Sovereign Bullet having won in the lower class recently was tested in the higher company with an additional benefit of a 5-kg allowance apprentice Shane Domingo services. The strategy paid off as Shane rode a competent race. Settling behind Errol’s Bigshow till a furling from home, he hit the front and sailed away to a shade over a length victory. Bigshow, however, lost the second slot to Idolize from Vijay’s yard. 

The yardstick of stiping was not taken aback when Royal Command, another of Bhungards’ trainee, found the 5-kg penalty slapped on the last outing easy winner, Timbavati, to his advantage. In fact, the changed equation saw Timbavati losing all of speed while Royal Command hit the front from the start and held on to beat his yard-mate Grecian Prince by a thin margin. Grecian Prince had always been in close attendance of the winner and Timbavati who placed third. 

Sovereign Bullet, the winner of the Metallic Handicap
Amyn Merchant on Royal Command, the winner of the Desert Shot Cup