Expectations were high
from Anokato in the afternoon’s feature event, the 1,200-metre
Predator Cup, not because Yadav was heading for his first ever treble.
The speedy son of Ajaad- Ann Arbour had troubled a good horse like
Lockers Park in his last clash and thus the Daniel David-ward sent to
the start as a joint favourite with Bharath Singh’s Aiberni.
Yadav rode a well-judged race, keeping the five-year-old in mid-bunch,
and in check, before shooting into the lead for a brief while. The
danger of losing the race lurked upon the favourite soon enough when T.
N. Jaiswal’s Regal Rocket drew alongside of Anokato inside the last
furlong of the race. It was rather a battle of wits than a test of
artistry in which the local lad failed to match against the seasoned
visiting jockey who had managed to make the Rocket keep his head in
front as long as the duel continued in the final 150 metres.
If Yadav deserved to be commiserated, Jaiswal earned kudos for sending an eight-year-old in an enviable condition to re-produce the form that had helped the Rock Hopper-Jwaayis gelding win his third race from four starts this season. In any case a treble was in the offing and the Rocket turned out to be a worthy winner.
Yadav’s enterprising effort started as early as in the first race with the victory of an 8-1 fancy Brave Venture. It was again a short-head verdict that decided the fate in favour of Yadav as Bigshow, who was trying to win from the start, found the late burst of the Hadaaf-Bundle Of Thanks gelding Brave Venture to hot to contain. His fate was sealed virtually in the dying stages of the race. Favourite Timbavati burst a blood vessel to do anything worthwhile in the race.
Inspired by the victory of Brave Venture and looking far more confident now, Yadav got the best out of Moon Quest in the Magnanimous Cup over 1,400 metres. A faraway sixth, virtually last as Dashing Prince badly trailed having lost nearly 50 metres at the start, Moon Quest started making his winning move from the 600-metre marker, though it still looked an impossible task for the Always A Rainbow-Ville Doree four-year-old to cover nearly 15 lengths in the final 400 metres of the race. However, Yadav waved his magic wand that prompted Moon Quest to fire all his jets and, in a trice, the Errol-gelding was abreast of the front runners and gone clear, too, with 100 metres still to go.
Poor Sugar Daddy and his jockey became the victim of Yadav’s and Moon’s quest, and hunger, for winning honour. While Sugar Daddy took all the belting, and yet lost the race, his jockey Surjeet Singh was booked for excessive whipping of the horse (his third offence) and thus was stood down for two race days.
Bharath Singh was expected to emerge leader on the day, with at least a treble, but the champion trainer failed to better the Yadav-Errol score. Starting off with the victory of his new Bangalore-possession Argento that the Twist And Turn-Kasurina five-year-old won with ridiculous ease in the hands of C. Alford, Bharath pulled off a coup of sort through his last outing failed-favourite Frontier Flame.
Argento’s victory in the Douetil Memorial Cup complimented his short price of 6-10 in the betting ring. Assigned a top-weight of 60-kg after his lung-opener early in the season, Argento allowed front runners Finders Keepers and Smart Romeo to test their hooves till the final turn. Coming the shortest way home, he slipped into the lead below the distance post to leave the opposition struggling more minor placings that went to a late finishing Bay Dragon and Imperial Pearl whose Derby dream must have fallen flat on her face.
Frontier Flame’s style of victory was no different than Argento’s in the concluding event, the Vanitas Handicap. The only difference was that the Duja-Ile De Soeurs five-year-old raced in the mid-bunch and jockey S. Rabani took the outside lane, and kept the 5-1 fancy clear of all trouble before shooting in to the lead inside the last furlong. He may strike again.
Daniel’s Magical Strike made a good use of his big pull at the weights from Bharath’s 7-10 favourite Followme in the Kiltoi Handicap. Striding ahead of the favourite who, however, was quickly sent into the lead by Rabani, 300 metres from home, as he brought the Batuzshka-Fusion top-weighted filly the shortest way in to the straight. But the heavy impost told on her prompting Md Amil to come alongside and sail away comfortably after for a brief tussle.
